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On'yomi
ハク・ビャク
HAKU / BYAKU
Kun'yomi
しろ・しら-・しろ.い
shiro / shira / shiroi

white

Details

Strokes5
Frequency#483
Radicalwhite(5)

Stroke Order

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Strokes5

Cultural Context

Etymology

Appearance of sunlight shining. Or shape of thumb (white part).

Symbolism

Purity, cleanliness, blank. Represents new beginnings as in 'blank page'.

Seasonal

"White snow" and "white frost" symbolize winter. "White plum" colors early spring, "white lily" summer.

Games

ポケットモンスター ブラック・ホワイト

Pokémon Black and White(2010)

ニンテンドーDS

Developer: Game Freak

'White' is the version name symbolizing Reshiram, the white legendary Pokémon.

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Words & Expressions

Four-Character Compounds

黒風白雨

こくふうはくう

sudden rain shower in a dust storm; sudden rain shower in a dust storm

清廉潔白

せいれんけっぱく

spotless integrity; absolute honesty; uprightness; spotless integrity

青天白日

せいてんはくじつ

clear weather; being cleared of the charge (brought against one); having one's innocence proved; clear weather

亭主関白

ていしゅかんぱく

domineering husband; hectoring husband; husband who rules the roost; domineering husband

白河夜船

しらかわよふね

being fast asleep (and totally unaware of what is going on around one); know-it-all manner; being fast asleep (and totally unaware of what is going on around one)

明々白々

めいめいはくはく

clearly evident; quite obvious; as clear as day; clearly evident

白砂青松

はくしゃせいしょう

white sands and green pines; beautiful coastal scenery; white sands and green pines

事理明白

じりめいはく

facts being beyond dispute; logic being indisputable; facts being beyond dispute

顔面蒼白

がんめんそうはく

one's face turning pale (ashen); the color being drained from one's face; one's face turning pale (ashen)

堅白同異

けんぱくどうい

sophism; sophistry; quibbling; sophism

清浄潔白

せいじょうけっぱく

upright and clean-handed; pure in heart and with a clean conscience; upright and clean-handed

白紙委任

はくしいにん

carte blanche; blank check; blank cheque; carte blanche

白馬非馬

はくばひば

sophistry; sophism; false syllogism; sophistry

腕白小僧

わんぱくこぞう

naughty boy; mischievous boy; little rascal; naughty boy

二河白道

にがびゃくどう

the road to paradise is a white road between two rivers, one of water (wrath) and one of fire (greed); the road to paradise is a white road between two rivers, one of water (wrath) and one of fire (greed)

Proverbs & Idioms

白羽の矢が立つ

しらはのやがたつ

A white-feathered arrow is set

To be chosen from among many

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

春すぎて 夏来にけらし 白妙の 衣ほすてふ 天の香具山

Poem #2 from Hyakunin Isshu

持統天皇Empress Jitō
7th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

田子の浦に うち出でて見れば 白妙の 富士の高嶺に 雪はふりつつ

Poem #4 from Hyakunin Isshu

山部赤人Yamabe no Akahito
8th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

かささぎの 渡せる橋に おく霜の 白きを見れば 夜ぞふけにける

Poem #6 from Hyakunin Isshu

中納言家持Chūnagon Yakamochi
8th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

心あてに 折らばや折らむ 初霜の おきまどはせる 白菊の花

Poem #29 from Hyakunin Isshu

凡河内躬恒Ōshikōchi no Mitsune
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

朝ぼらけ ありあけの月と 見るまでに 吉野の里に 降れる白雪

Poem #31 from Hyakunin Isshu

坂上是則Sakanoue no Korenori
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

白露に 風の吹きしく 秋の野は つらぬきとめぬ 玉ぞ散りける

Poem #37 from Hyakunin Isshu

文屋朝康Fun'ya no Asayasu
10th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

わたの原 こぎ出でてみれば 久方の 雲ゐにまがふ 冲つ白波

Poem #76 from Hyakunin Isshu

法性寺入道前関白太政大臣法性寺入道前関白太政大臣
Unknown