暗中(あんちゅう)

あんちゅう
noun
in the dark; in darkness
formalabstract
1. in the dark; in darkness; in secret
The state of being in darkness, used both literally and figuratively for situations where one cannot see the way ahead. Formed from 暗(あん) (dark) and 中(ちゅう) (within). Largely confined to set expressions and written style.
暗中(あんちゅう)を手探(てさぐ)りで進(すす)む。
I grope my way forward in the dark.
解決策(かいけつさく)が見(み)えず、暗中(あんちゅう)で迷(まよ)っているようだ。
With no solution in sight, it feels like wandering in the dark.
新規事業(しんきじぎょう)は前例(ぜんれい)がなく、暗中模索(あんちゅうもさく)の状態(じょうたい)が続(つづ)いた。
The new business had no precedent, so a state of groping in the dark continued.

A literary, written-style word that rarely stands alone in everyday speech. It appears mainly in fixed four-character expressions.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 闇(やみ): darkness — the everyday word for physical or figurative darkness.
  • 暗闇(くらやみ): the dark; pitch darkness — concrete and far more common in conversation.

Related Words

Compare: 闇(やみ) (darkness)
Compare: 暗闇(くらやみ) (the dark)
general
Added 2026.7.13 6:19 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
29500/29800_anchuu