also: びゃくえ · びゃくい · はくえ · しろきぬ · しろぎぬ
white clothes; white robe
General term for white garments; can refer to any white clothing or a white robe.
She wore white clothes and looked just like an angel.
white coat; lab coat; doctor's white gown
Only with reading はくい
Specifically the white coat or gown worn by doctors, scientists, pharmacists, and other professionals. Most commonly read はくい.
The doctor put on a white coat and entered the examination room.
Please wear a lab coat in the laboratory.
commoner without rank (in ancient China)
Only with reading はくい / はくえ
Historical term referring to a commoner without official rank in ancient China. Read はくい or はくえ.
In ancient China, 白衣 referred to commoners without official rank.
Only with reading びゃくえ / はくえ / しろきぬ / しろぎぬ
In Buddhist contexts, a layperson as opposed to a monk or priest. Read びゃくえ, はくえ, しろきぬ, or しろぎぬ. The antonym is 緇衣 (しえ), meaning a black-robed priest.
Antonyms: 緇衣 (しえ)
Lay believers gathered at the temple.
The doctor puts on a white coat before the examination.
The researcher took off his lab coat when the experiment was finished.
A nurse in a white coat came into the hospital room.
Very rare reading; may appear in older texts.
Rare reading for the historical commoner sense and occasionally the layperson sense.
Rare native Japanese reading for the layperson sense.
Rendaku variant of しろきぬ; rare.