黒くろ白しろ

also: こくびゃく · こくはく

く

ろ

し

ろ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

black and white

Only with reading くろしろ

Literal pairing or contrast of black and white. In many everyday contexts 白黒 is more common, but 黒白 is attested and understandable.

床ゆかは黒くろ白しろの市いち松まつ模も様ようになっている。
The floor has a black-and-white checkerboard pattern.

2

noun

right and wrong

; black and white

; rights and wrongs of a matter

Only with reading こくびゃく / こくはく

Figurative use for deciding which side is right or what the truth of a dispute is. Somewhat stiff or formal; commonest in fixed expressions such as 黒白をつける and 黒白を明らかにする.

裁さい判ばんでこの争あらそいの黒こく白びゃくをつける。
They will settle the rights and wrongs of this dispute in court.
証しょう拠こがそろえば、事じ件けんの黒こく白びゃくは明あきらかになる。
Once the evidence is gathered, the truth of the case will become clear.

Written forms

黒白Usage100%
- くろしろ
  High-priority reading; most transparent for the literal meaning 'black and white.' The reverse order 白黒 is often more familiar in everyday compounds such as 白黒写真.
- こくびゃく
  Sino-Japanese reading used especially in the abstract sense 'right and wrong,' often in set phrases such as 黒白をつける.
- こくはく
  Attested alternate Sino-Japanese reading, but less useful as a learner default and easily confused in sound with 告白.
こくはく
こくびゃく

Kanji

黒black
白white

Similar words

白しろ黒くろ
More common in everyday Japanese for literal black-and-white and for expressions like 白黒をつける; 黒白 can sound more formal or less ordinary, especially in the abstract sense.
是ぜ非ひ
Can mean right and wrong or pros and cons, but it is not a color contrast and is used in more evaluative or argumentative contexts.
善ぜん悪あく
Means good and evil in a moral sense; 黒白 is broader and can refer to deciding the truth or merits of a dispute.

Etymology

A compound of 黒 'black' and 白 'white.' The contrast between the two colors also supports the figurative meaning of distinguishing right from wrong or settling a matter clearly.