白
白 means “white” in Japanese. It is a basic color kanji and is also connected with brightness, clarity, and blankness.
Reading
On’yomi: ハク (haku), ビャク (byaku)
Kun’yomi: しろ-い (shiro-i), しろ- (shiro-)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 白 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | white |
| Stroke Count | 5 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
白 can mean white, blank, clear, or revealed depending on the word. It appears in color vocabulary, paper-related words, and expressions such as 告白.
Common Words
- 白（しろ / shiro） — white
- 白い（しろい / shiroi） — white
- 白紙（はくし / hakushi） — blank paper, clean slate
- 白米（はくまい / hakumai） — white rice
- 明白（めいはく / meihaku） — obvious, clear
- 告白（こくはく / kokuhaku） — confession
Example Sentences
-
白いシャツを着ています。
しろいシャツをきています。 / Shiroi shatsu o kite imasu.
I am wearing a white shirt.
-
白紙に名前を書いてください。
はくしになまえをかいてください。 / Hakushi ni namae o kaite kudasai.
Please write your name on the blank paper.
-
白い雪が静かに降っています。
しろいゆきがしずかにふっています。 / Shiroi yuki ga shizuka ni futte imasu.
White snow is falling quietly.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The noun is しろ and the adjective is 白い (しろい). The reading はく appears in compounds such as 白紙, 白米, and 明白. Learn 白 together with 赤 and 黒 as a basic color set.
Summary
白 means white and is useful for color, blank paper, clarity, and everyday descriptive vocabulary.