black
/blæk/ (bre, ipa) · [blˈæk] /blæk/ (ame, ipa) · [blˈæk] /ˈblak/ (ame, mw)
black — 形容詞
- blackpositive
- blackercomparative
- blackestsuperlative
1. having a deep dark colour, similar to soot or a sky with no visible moon
黑色的
像煤或深夜天空的顏色
having a deep dark colour, similar to soot or a sky with no visible moon
Yuna picked a black coat for the rainy trip to Seoul.
Yuna 為首爾的雨天旅行挑了一件黑色外套。
black + noun for clothing and objects
The puppy had one white paw and soft black fur.
那隻小狗有一隻白爪子和柔軟的黑色毛。
A black car waited outside the hotel all afternoon.
一輛黑色汽車整個下午都停在飯店外。
The screen turned black when the battery finally died.
電池終於沒電時，螢幕變成全黑。
- white
the lightest colour, opposite on the lightness scale
文法句型
black + noun
be + black
用法筆記
This is the basic colour sense. It is used both before nouns and after verbs such as be, turn, or go.
常見錯誤
2. connected with people who are Black, especially in cultural, social, or identity
黑人的
與黑人族群或其文化有關
connected with people who are Black, especially in cultural, social, or identity contexts
The festival celebrated Black music from several generations.
那場活動慶祝了跨越好幾個世代的黑人音樂。
Black + culture noun for identity context
Our class read essays by Black writers from Britain and the US.
我們班讀了來自英國和美國的黑人作家散文。
The museum opened a new gallery on Black history in London.
那間博物館在倫敦開了新的黑人歷史展廳。
Black parents in the area asked for better school transport.
當地的黑人家長要求更好的校車服務。
文法句型
Black + noun
用法筆記
In modern edited English, this adjective is often capitalized when it refers to racial or cultural identity. Distinguish it from the noun sense, which can sound harsher in ordinary conversation.
3. used for tea or coffee served plain, with no milk or cream mixed in
不加奶的
飲料未加牛奶或奶油
used for tea or coffee served plain, with no milk or cream mixed in
Christopher drinks his coffee black during early shifts.
Christopher 值早班時都喝不加奶的咖啡。
drink + coffee + black
At breakfast, Olivia ordered black tea and buttered toast.
早餐時，Olivia 點了黑茶和塗奶油的吐司。
My uncle likes espresso black, with no sugar at all.
我叔叔喜歡喝不加奶的濃縮咖啡，而且完全不加糖。
The waiter brought black coffee for Tariro and milk tea for Jenna.
服務生替 Tariro 送上黑咖啡，替 Jenna 送上奶茶。
文法句型
drink + coffee/tea + black
black coffee/tea
用法筆記
This sense is mainly used with hot drinks, especially coffee and tea. It often appears after the drink noun: coffee black.
4. showing that a situation seems likely to end badly, with little chance of improv
無望的
看來不會有好結果的
showing that a situation seems likely to end badly, with little chance of improvement
After the flood, Soraya thought the shop's future looked black.
洪水過後，Soraya 覺得那間店的前景很無望。
future + look + black
By winter, the town's job prospects seemed black.
到了冬天，這座城鎮的工作前景似乎很無望。
With no money left, the family's chances looked black.
錢花光之後，這家人的機會看起來很渺茫。
The coach said the season looked black after three key injuries.
教練說，三名主力受傷後，這個球季的前景很黑暗。
- bleak
close in meaning, often used for prospects or outlooks
- hopeful
suggesting that a good result is still possible
文法句型
future/prospects/outlook + look/seem + black
用法筆記
This sense often appears with words such as future, prospects, chances, or outlook. It is about the expected result, not about moral evil.
5. morally wicked or intended to cause harm
邪惡的
道德上很壞、會害人的
morally wicked or intended to cause harm
The villagers feared the black magic said to guard the cave.
村民害怕據說守著洞穴的邪惡黑魔法。
black magic as an evil-force collocation
The poem warns against black deeds done for easy money.
那首詩警告人們，不要為了輕鬆賺錢做出邪惡的惡行。
People still remember the general's black betrayal of the city.
人們至今仍記得那位將軍對這座城市的邪惡背叛。
In the legend, a black spirit tempts sailors toward the rocks.
在傳說裡，一個邪惡的黑色精靈引誘水手撞向礁石。
- good
morally right rather than harmful
文法句型
black + deed/hatred/magic
用法筆記
This sense is often literary and appears in fixed combinations such as black magic or black deeds. Distinguish it from sense 4, which is about hopelessness rather than moral wrong.
6. so dark that you cannot see because there is almost no light
漆黑的
幾乎沒有光而看不見的
so dark that you cannot see because there is almost no light
The hallway was black after the storm cut the power.
暴風雨切斷電力後，走廊變得一片漆黑。
be + black for complete darkness
We drove through black mountain roads with no houses nearby.
我們開車穿過漆黑的山路，附近一戶人家也沒有。
At midnight, the beach turned black except for the lighthouse.
到了半夜，除了燈塔之外，海灘都變得漆黑。
Without the moon, the garden looked completely black.
沒有月亮時，花園看起來完全漆黑。
- pitch-dark
very close, but more explicitly colloquial
- bright
full of light rather than dark
文法句型
place/sky/road + be/look + black
用法筆記
This sense describes darkness in a place, not the colour of an object. It often appears with roads, skies, rooms, or landscapes.
7. stained with dirt, soot, or oil until it looks dark and filthy
很髒的
沾滿油污、煤灰或泥土的
stained with dirt, soot, or oil until it looks dark and filthy
By noon, Christopher's hands were black with engine oil.
到了中午，Christopher 的手已經髒得全黑，都是機油。
be black with + substance
The children came home with black feet after playing outside.
孩子們在外面玩完回家時，腳都髒得黑黑的。
Smoke left the curtains black around the window frame.
煙把窗框周圍的窗簾都熏得黑黑的。
After the cave tour, everyone's shoes were black with mud.
洞穴導覽結束後，每個人的鞋子都沾泥沾得發黑。
- clean
free from dirt or stains
文法句型
be black with + dirt/oil/mud
用法筆記
This sense usually describes skin, clothes, or surfaces after contact with dirt, smoke, or oil. It is different from the basic colour sense because the blackness comes from grime.
8. showing deep anger, resentment, or hostility in the face or mood
陰沉的
因憤怒或怨恨而神情沉重
showing deep anger, resentment, or hostility in the face or mood
Tariq gave his brother a black look across the dinner table.
Tariq 隔著餐桌朝哥哥投去一個陰沉的眼神。
black look for visible anger
She left the meeting in a black mood after the insult.
受到侮辱後，她帶著陰沉的心情離開了會議。
The coach's face turned black when the team ignored his plan.
球隊沒照他的計畫做時，教練的臉色立刻陰沉下來。
A black silence filled the room after the accusation.
那項指控之後，房間裡瀰漫著陰沉的沉默。
- calm
free from visible anger or resentment
文法句型
black look/mood
face/look + turn + black
用法筆記
This sense is literary and often appears with look, mood, face, or silence. It is about visible hostility rather than dirt or darkness.
9. using jokes about death, crime, or other grim subjects rather than treating them
黑色幽默的
以可怕題材開玩笑的
using jokes about death, crime, or other grim subjects rather than treating them seriously
The nurse's black joke made the tired interns laugh.
那位護理師說了一個黑色笑話，讓疲憊的實習醫師都笑了。
black joke about grim subject matter
His black humour appears whenever the conversation turns to funerals.
每當話題轉到喪禮時，他的黑色幽默就會冒出來。
The film uses black comedy to talk about war and grief.
那部電影用黑色喜劇來談戰爭與悲傷。
Stephanie enjoys novels with black humour and unhappy endings.
Stephanie 喜歡帶有黑色幽默和悲劇結局的小說。
- dark
the more common term in American English
文法句型
black humour/comedy/joke
用法筆記
British English strongly favours black humour, while American English more often says dark humor. The idea is not simple sadness but joking about disturbing topics.
black — 名詞
- blacksingular
- blacksplural
1. the darkest colour, the shade of coal or a sky with no moon
黑色
最深的顏色
the darkest colour, the shade of coal or a sky with no moon
Black goes well with silver in formal clothes.
黑色和銀色搭配在正式服裝上很好看。
black as a colour noun
The designer used black to make the logo look sharper.
設計師用了黑色，讓標誌看起來更俐落。
Her notebook came in blue, green, and black.
她的筆記本有藍色、綠色和黑色可選。
For the poster, Caio chose black against a pale background.
做海報時，Caio 挑了黑色來搭配淺色背景。
- white
the lightest colour, opposite of black
文法句型
in black
use black
用法筆記
As a noun, black often appears when choosing, mixing, or comparing colours. Distinguish it from sense 5, where black means black clothes worn for mourning.
2. a film, photo, or visual style that uses only black, white, and shades of grey
黑白
只用黑白灰的影像風格
a film, photo, or visual style that uses only black, white, and shades of grey
The photographer printed the portrait in black and white.
那位攝影師把這張人像印成黑白。
in black and white for image style
The opening scene works better in black and white.
開場那一幕用黑白呈現效果更好。
Their wedding album mixed colour shots with black and white pages.
他們的婚禮相簿把彩色照片和黑白頁面混在一起。
Old television dramas in black and white still feel powerful.
老電視劇就算是黑白畫面，依然很有力量。
- monochrome
broader technical term for one-colour visual work
- colour
full-colour images rather than black-and-white ones
文法句型
in black and white
用法筆記
This sense usually appears in the phrase in black and white when talking about photography, film, television, or print images.
3. a Black person; this noun is common in some official or historical contexts but
黑人
指黑人身分者；單用名詞較敏感
a Black person; this noun is common in some official or historical contexts but can sound harsh in ordinary conversation
Older laws separated whites and Blacks on city buses.
較早期的法律曾把白人和黑人分開安排在公車上。
historical use as plural identity noun
The report counted Blacks, Asians, and Latinos in the sample.
那份報告統計了樣本中的黑人、亞洲人和拉丁裔。
formal category use in reports
The article explained why some activists reject the noun Black.
那篇文章解釋了，為什麼有些行動者不接受把 Black 當成單獨名詞。
The survey asked how many Blacks lived in the district in 1960.
那份調查詢問 1960 年這個區裡住了多少黑人。
文法句型
a Black
Blacks
用法筆記
Writers often prefer Black person or Black people in everyday prose. The noun form appears more in statistics, historical quotations, or discussions about racial labels themselves.
4. complete darkness, or a place where almost no light reaches
黑暗
完全或幾乎沒有光的狀態
complete darkness, or a place where almost no light reaches
The campers sat in black until the fire caught.
營友們坐在黑暗裡，直到火終於點著。
in black meaning in darkness
A small phone light cut through the black under the bridge.
一道手機小光束劃破了橋下的黑暗。
After the candles went out, the room sank into black.
蠟燭熄滅後，房間陷入黑暗。
We waited in the black until the rescue boat arrived.
我們在黑暗中等著，直到救援船抵達。
文法句型
in the black
sink into black
用法筆記
This use is more literary than the ordinary noun darkness. It often appears in dramatic descriptions of night, caves, power cuts, or empty spaces.
5. black clothes worn, especially to show grief after a death
喪服
表示哀悼時穿的黑衣
black clothes worn, especially to show grief after a death
At the funeral, every adult in the front row wore black.
葬禮上，前排每個大人都穿著黑色喪服。
wear black for mourning
The family stayed in black for several weeks after the burial.
這家人在下葬後好幾週都還穿著喪服。
She arrived in black to honour her late teacher.
她穿著黑色喪服到場，向已故老師致意。
In that village, widows once wore black for a full year.
在那個村子裡，寡婦過去常常整整一年都穿喪服。
文法句型
wear black
be in black
用法筆記
This sense is about clothing, often in funeral or mourning traditions. Distinguish it from noun sense 1, where black simply names the colour.
6. the side or set of dark pieces in games such as chess or draughts
黑方
棋盤遊戲中使用深色棋子的一方
the side or set of dark pieces in games such as chess or draughts
Lucía chose black and moved her king's pawn first.
Lucía 選了黑方，先走王前兵。
choose black in chess
In chess club, Rin usually plays black against stronger students.
在西洋棋社，Rin 通常執黑對上較強的學生。
play black as the dark side
Black defended patiently until the white queen blundered.
黑方耐心防守，直到白后失誤。
After lunch, Ilan took black for the second game.
午餐後，Ilan 第二盤選了黑方。
- white
the opposing light-coloured side in the same game
文法句型
play black
take black
用法筆記
This sense names the player or pieces on the dark side of the board. It is especially common in chess writing and commentary.
black — 動詞
- blackpresent simple I / you / we / they
- blacks3rd person singular
- blacking-ing form
- blackedpast simple
1. to cover something with a dark substance, or to turn it black
塗黑；變黑
把東西弄成黑色
to cover something with a dark substance, or to turn it black
The stage crew blacked the windows before the film screening.
放映前，舞台工作人員把窗戶都塗黑了。
black + object
Smoke from the fire blacked the kitchen ceiling overnight.
火災冒出的煙一夜之間把廚房天花板熏黑了。
Workers blacked the old gate with fresh paint before dawn.
工人們在天亮前用新漆把舊鐵門塗黑。
Years of candle soot blacked the stone above the fireplace.
多年來的燭煙把壁爐上方的石頭熏得發黑。
文法句型
black + object
object + black with age/smoke
用法筆記
This verb often appears in practical contexts such as paint, smoke, soot, or stage preparation. The transitive use is far more common than the intransitive one.
2. for a union or group to boycott goods, companies, or people by refusing to deal
抵制
工會拒絕接觸某貨物或某人
for a union or group to boycott goods, companies, or people by refusing to deal with them
The union blacked the company after it fired two organizers.
那個工會在公司開除兩名組織者後，決定抵制那家公司。
union black + company
Dock workers blacked the shipment until the safety dispute ended.
碼頭工人一直抵制那批貨，直到安全爭議結束。
Several printers blacked the paper for publishing hate slogans.
有幾家印刷廠因為那份報紙刊登仇恨標語而抵制它。
The federation threatened to black any contractor ignoring wage rules.
該聯盟威脅要抵制任何無視薪資規定的承包商。
- boycott
the everyday modern verb for this idea
文法句型
black + goods/company/person
用法筆記
This use belongs mainly to labour and political language. It means an organized refusal to handle or support something, not simply a personal dislike.