Translation guide
This guide covers how to express that light, colors, or visibility becomes weaker, darker, or less clear in Japanese. It includes common verbs for dimming lights, fading colors, and growing dark, as well as related expressions for blurring or clouding.
To describe a light source losing intensity, such as a lamp, screen, or natural light becoming dimmer.
The most common and neutral way to say that light becomes dim or a place gets dark. It literally means 'become dark' and is used for both gradual and sudden changes.
部屋がだんだん暗くなった。
The room gradually became dim.
It's getting dark outside as evening comes.
Means 'become dim' or 'grow dusky', implying a faint, weak light. Often used for twilight or poorly lit spaces.
森の中は薄暗くなってきた。
It's getting dim in the forest.
Literally 'light weakens'. More technical or descriptive, used when light intensity decreases. Not as common in everyday speech.
電球の光が弱まってきた。
The light from the bulb is becoming dim.
To intentionally make a light dimmer, such as using a dimmer switch or covering a lamp.
The transitive counterpart of 暗くなる. It means 'to make dark/dim'. Use this when someone actively dims a light.
照明を暗くしてください。
Please dim the lights.
彼は部屋の明かりを暗くした。
He dimmed the room lights.
Means 'to squeeze' or 'to narrow down'. Used for dimming lights by reducing the aperture or intensity, like on a stage light or a flashlight. Somewhat technical.
Literally 'drop the brightness'. Used for screens, displays, or adjustable lighting. Common in technical contexts.
スマホの明るさを落としてください。
Please dim your smartphone screen.
To describe colors losing brightness or intensity, becoming dull or washed out.
Means 'to fade' or 'to lose color'. Commonly used for fabrics, paintings, or memories becoming dim or faint.
このカーテンは日焼けで色あせてしまった。
These curtains have faded from the sun.
Means 'to become dull' or 'to lose luster'. Used for colors that become dim, murky, or lack brightness. Often for skin, metals, or paints.
Similar to 色あせる but can be used alone. Often written in kanji. Slightly more literary.
To describe eyesight becoming dim, or something becoming hard to see clearly.
Means 'to become hazy' or 'to blur'. Used for vision, landscapes, or memories becoming dim or unclear. Often due to tears, fog, or distance.
涙で視界がかすんだ。
My vision became dim with tears.
遠くの山がかすんで見える。
The distant mountains look dim/hazy.
Means 'to become blurry' or 'out of focus'. Used for images, vision, or memories. More about lack of sharpness than darkness.
Means 'to become cloudy'. Used for glasses, mirrors, or eyes becoming dim due to condensation or cataracts.
To express that a situation, feeling, or future becomes gloomy, unpromising, or bleak.
Also used metaphorically for mood or prospects becoming dark/dim. Very common.
将来の見通しが暗くなった。
The future outlook became dim.
彼はその知らせを聞いて気持ちが暗くなった。
His mood darkened upon hearing the news.
Literally 'hope fades/thins'. A common collocation for dimming hope.
救助の希望が薄れてきた。
Hope for rescue is fading.
Used for facial expressions or moods becoming clouded/dim. Often in literary contexts.
暗くなる is the general term for becoming dark or dim. 薄暗くなる specifically means becoming dimly lit or dusky, implying a faint light remains. Use 薄暗くなる for twilight or shadowy places, and 暗くなる for complete darkness or significant dimming.
電気を消すと部屋が暗くなる。
When you turn off the light, the room becomes dark.
夕暮れで街が薄暗くなる。
The town grows dim at dusk.
English 'become dim' covers light, colors, vision, and abstract things. In Japanese, different verbs are used for each. Avoid directly translating 'dim' as one word; choose the verb that matches the specific type of dimming.
画面が暗くなる (not ディムになる)
The screen becomes dim.
They dimmed the spotlight and made the stage darker.
After years of use, the color becomes dull.
The colors in the photo have faded.
老眼で近くの文字がぼやける。
Nearby text becomes blurry due to presbyopia.
My glasses fogged up and it's hard to see ahead.
His expression clouded over.