水墨画(すいぼくが)

すいぼくが
noun
ink wash painting; sumi-e
cultureleisure
1. ink wash painting; sumi-e
A style of painting that uses only black ink, expressing form and depth through gradations of shading rather than color.
水墨画(すいぼくが)を描(か)く。
To paint an ink wash painting.
床(とこ)の間(ま)に水墨画(すいぼくが)が掛(か)けてある。
An ink wash painting hangs in the alcove.
水墨画(すいぼくが)は墨(すみ)の濃淡(のうたん)だけで風景(ふうけい)を表現(ひょうげん)する。
Ink wash painting expresses a landscape using only shades of black ink.

A painting done in black ink alone, using the depth of shading (濃淡(のうたん)) in place of color. Introduced from China and developed in Japan, especially in the Muromachi period.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 墨絵(すみえ): ink drawing — a near-synonym, slightly more everyday in tone
  • 日本画(にほんが): Japanese-style painting — the broader category, which uses mineral pigments and color

Related Words

Compare: 日本画(にほんが) (Japanese-style painting)
Related: 水彩画(すいさいが) (watercolor painting)
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Added 2026.5.19 12:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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