ChiramiN5 kanji · 5 strokes
白 means white
白
丿 a ray of light · 日 sun
白Memory trick
The sun (日) with a ray of light on top: white.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meaning
- white
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 5
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) しろ shiro
しろ (shiro) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: しろい shiroi
From Chinese (onyomi) ハク haku
ハク (haku) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: ビャク byaku
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
白い しろい · shiroi
white
Used in 29 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 白 mean?
Right: 白 means white.Not quite: 白 means white.In 白い, which reading does 白 use?
Right. 白い is read しろい (shiroi): 白 takes しろ, its Japanese reading, with い after it.Not quite. 白い is read しろい (shiroi): 白 takes しろ, its Japanese reading, with い after it.