Japanese symbol for “black”
黒
くろ
Romaji: kuro
black
In Japanese, black is 黒, read くろ (kuro).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- adj-no, n black
- n black stone (go)
- n guilt; guilty person
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “black”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 黒い | くろい kuroi | black |
| 黒字 | くろじ kuroji | (being in) the black; surplus |
| 青 | あお ao | black (horse coat color) |
| 黒色 | くろいろ kuroiro | black (colour, color) |
| ブラック | ブラック burakku | black |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 黒人 | こくじん kokujin | black person |
| 黒い | くろい kuroi | black |
| 黒字 | くろじ kuroji | (being in) the black; surplus |
| 黒板 | こくばん kokuban | blackboard |
| 暗黒 | あんこく ankoku | darkness |
| 白黒 | しろくろ shirokuro | black and white; monochrome |
See also: Chinese symbol for “black”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.