About
The character 暗 (àn) is a phono-semantic compound. The semantic radical 日 (rì), meaning sun or day, indicates the domain of light, while the component 音 (yīn) provides the phonetic element. The sun radical here reflects the idea of obscured or absent sunlight. From this literal sense of physical darkness, the meaning extended to abstract concepts of concealment, describing things that are hidden, secret, or done clandestinely. Thus, 暗 can refer both to a poorly lit environment and to hidden intentions or undisclosed information.
Example Sentences Hide
这个房间很暗。
晚上没有灯很暗。
他在暗中帮助我。
她暗示我离开。
黑暗中有奇怪的声音。
我们用了暗号联系。
他暗地里做了很多准备。
在暗淡的月光下他慢慢走着。