白 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

白: white; blank; confess. JLPT N5; 5 strokes.

Readings

On readings

ハク、ビャク

Kun readings

しろ、しら-、しろ.い

Romaji

haku, byaku, shiro, shira, shiroi

Study notes

白 means 'white' and, by extension, 'empty, clear, innocent'.

On readings: ハク in 白鳥 (はくちょう, swan), 白紙 (はくし, white sheet), 告白 (こくはく, confession; declaration of love), 明白 (めいはく, evident). In compound can become ぱく: 淡白 (たんぱく, light, delicate), 潔白 (けっぱく, innocence). ビャク is rare: 白夜 (びゃくや, white night, midnight sun).

Kun readings: しろ is the noun 'white' (白黒=しろくろ, black and white) and しろい (白い) the adjective. しら appears as first element: 白樺 (しらかば, white birch), 白旗 (しらはた, white flag).

Special readings: 白髪 (しらが, white hair) and 白粉 (おしろい, powder) are read as whole words. 面白い (おもしろい, interesting, amusing) combines the kun reading おも of 面 and しろ of 白.

Remember: 真っ白 (まっしろ) means 'snow-white, pure white'.

Example words

• 白い (しろい) — white
• 白紙 (はくし) — blank sheet; blank slate
• 白夜 (びゃくや) — midnight sun; white night
• 白 (しろ) — white
• 白髪 (しらが) — gray hair

Example sentences

白いねこがいます。

shiroi neko ga imasu.

There is a white cat.

Stroke order

Follow the steps in order. Each new stroke is highlighted.

Stroke paths: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0. Sequential diagrams derived from the original paths.