He kristal kala ʻokoʻa ka sodium sulfide me kahi ʻala hoʻopailua. Hoʻopili ia me nā waikawa e hana i ka hydrogen sulfide. He alkaline ikaika kona hopena wai, no laila ua ʻike ʻia hoʻi ʻo ia he sulfurated alkali. Hoʻoheheʻe ia i ka sulfur e hana i ka sodium polysulfide. ʻIke pinepine ʻia nā huahana ʻoihana e like me nā puʻupuʻu poni, ʻulaʻula-ʻeleʻele, a i ʻole melemele-ʻeleʻele ma muli o nā haumia. He mea ʻawahia a ʻawahia hoʻi. Ke hōʻike ʻia i ka lewa, hoʻoheheʻe koke ia e hana i ka sodium thiosulfate. Hygroscopic kiʻekiʻe, ʻo kona solubility i 100g o ka wai he 15.4g (ma 10°C) a me 57.3g (ma 90°C). He mea hoʻoheheʻe iki ia i ka ethanol a ʻaʻole hoʻoheheʻe ʻia i ka ether.

ʻO nā mea maka maka kiʻekiʻe i koho ʻia, ka mana koʻikoʻi o ka maikaʻi ma ke kaʻina hana hana, e hōʻoiaʻiʻo ana i ka maikaʻi paʻa no kēlā me kēia pūʻulu o ka sodium sulfide.