Meaning & readings
white
On’yomi ハク、ビャク
Kun’yomi しろ、しら-、しろ.い
Nanori あき、か、はっ
Origin
This character is a simple picture of a bright or glowing object—most likely derived from a drawing of the sun or a bright flame. The enclosed square or oval shape in the middle represents the luminous center, while the surrounding strokes suggest radiance or whiteness emanating outward. Over time, the shape was simplified and standardized into the five strokes we see today, but it still carries the idea of brightness and the color white that results from intense light.
AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Pictographic or simple.
Components
This character is treated as a single, undivided shape (白).
Common words
- 明白 めいはく obvious; clear
- 空白 くうはく blank space (in a document)
- 潔白 けっぱく innocence; guiltlessness
- 紅白 こうはく red and white; colours for festive or auspicious occasions (colors)
- 告白 こくはく confession (to a crime, wrongdoing, etc.); admission
- 自白 じはく confession; admission
- 白い しろい white
- 白衣 はくい white clothes; white robe
Reference
- Strokes
- 5
- Kangxi radical
- 106
- Grade
- Grade 1 (Kyōiku)
- Frequency rank
- #483 (newspapers)
- Former JLPT
- level 4
- Unicode
- U+0767D