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Kotomora

白

white

JLPTN5StatusJōyō · grade 1FrequencyTop 500Strokes5

Readings

On'yomi

  • ハク
  • ビャク

Kun'yomi

  • しろ
  • しら-
  • しろ.い

Nanori

  • あき
  • か
  • はっ

Meaning

白 centers on the color white, representing purity, brightness, or blankness.

Most common words using 白

24 of 731
  • 面白いおもしろい
    N5

    interesting; fascinating; intriguing; enthralling

  • 白しろ
    N5

    white

  • 白いしろい
    N5

    white

  • 告白こくはく
    N1

    confession (to a crime, wrongdoing, etc.); admission

  • 白人はくじん
    N1

    white person; Caucasian

  • 紅白こうはく
    N1

    red and white; colours for festive or auspicious occasions (colors)

  • 白色しろいろ

    white

  • 明白めいはく
    N1

    obvious; clear; plain; evident; apparent; explicit; overt

  • 白黒しろくろ

    black and white; monochrome

  • 真っ白まっしろ
    N3

    pure white

  • 白鳥はくちょう
    N1

    swan (Cygnus spp.)

  • 空白くうはく
    N1

    blank space (in a document)

  • 自白じはく
    N1

    confession; admission

  • 白髪しらが
    N3

    white hair; grey hair; gray hair

  • 白紙はくし
    N1

    white paper; flyleaf

  • 白熱はくねつ
    N1

    white heat; incandescence; (emitting) white light; white glow

  • 白衣はくい
    N1

    white clothes; white robe

  • 白米はくまい

    polished rice; (uncooked) white rice

  • 白書はくしょ
    N1

    white paper (government report)

  • 白血病はっけつびょう

    leukemia; leukaemia

  • 白菜はくさい
    N1

    napa cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis); nappa cabbage; Chinese cabbage

  • 白馬はくば

    white horse

  • 潔白けっぱく
    N1

    innocence; guiltlessness; purity; uprightness; integrity

  • 漂白ひょうはく

    blanching; bleaching

Explore all words using 白 →

Study

Etymology

白 is traditionally explained as a pictograph of an acorn or a white object, though the exact origin is debated. The modern form is simple and iconic.

Meaning mnemonic

The shape 白 looks like a blank white canvas waiting to be filled.

Reading mnemonic

For ハク, imagine a white hawk soaring against a bright sky: hawk -> ハク.