白 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its heart, 白 means white — the color. You'll meet it in two roles: as a standalone word for the color (白, しろ) or the adjective "white" (白い, しろい), and as a building block inside compound words (白鳥 "swan," 告白 "confession," 白紙 "blank paper"). Beyond the literal color, 白 also carries a sense of "blank" or "clear" — think of a sheet of white paper with nothing on it (白紙), or coming clean and "speaking white" in a confession (告白). Whenever you spot 白, think white, clean, blank and you'll usually be close to the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | しろ | 白 (white — the color, noun) |
| kun'yomi | しろ.い | 白い (white — adjective) |
| kun'yomi | しら | 白髪 (しらが, grey/white hair) |
| on'yomi | ハク | 告白 (こくはく, confession), 白鳥 (はくちょう, swan) |
| on'yomi | ビャク | 白夜 (びゃくや, white night / midnight sun) — rarer |
Here's the rule of thumb that works for most kanji: the kun'yomi (しろ, しろ.い) shows up when the kanji stands more or less alone, with or without a hiragana ending, while the on'yomi (ハク) appears inside two-kanji compound words. So 白 and 白い use しろ, but 告白 and 白鳥 flip to ハク. The しら reading is a special kun form that hides inside a few set words like 白髪 (しらが).
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 5, written top to bottom. Start with the short stroke at the top (the little "drop"), then draw the box, and finish with the horizontal line inside it.
- Radical: 白 is its own radical, the "white" radical (しろ). It's a tidy, self-contained shape, so it's one of the easier early kanji to write neatly. You'll also see 白 sitting inside larger kanji such as 百 (hundred) and 的 (target / -like), where it acts as a recognizable component.
Because 白 is compact and symmetrical, it's a great kanji for practicing clean, balanced strokes early on.
Common words using 白
Notice the reading split in action: standalone 白 and 白い take しろ, while the compounds 白鳥 and 告白 flip to ハク. The big exception is 面白い (おもしろい) — literally "white face," but it's an irregular reading you simply memorize. It does not use しろ or ハク, so don't try to sound it out from the parts.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは白いぼうしをかぶっています。
ヤッタンは しろい ぼうしを かぶって います。
Yattan is wearing a white hat.
白い — the kun'yomi しろ.い reading (adjective).
モチは公園で白鳥を見て、「白いね」と言いました。
モチは こうえんで はくちょうを みて、「しろいね」と いいました。
Mochi saw a swan in the park and said, 'It's white, isn't it?'
Both readings in one sentence: 白鳥 (ハク) and 白い (しろ.い). A great line for remembering the split.
弟はテストの紙を白紙のまま出してしまいました。
おとうとは テストの かみを はくしの まま だして しまいました。
My little brother turned in his test as a blank sheet of paper.
白紙 (はくし) — the on'yomi ハク in a compound, meaning 'blank paper.'
Quick recap
- 白 = white (also "blank / clear"); 5 strokes; it's the "white" radical itself.
- しろ / しろ.い when it stands alone (白, 白い); ハク in compounds (白鳥, 告白, 白紙).
- しら is a hidden kun reading in set words like 白髪 (しらが, grey hair).
- Watch out for 面白い (おもしろい) — a famous irregular reading you just memorize.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 白 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 白 in 白い vs 告白?
In 白い it's the kun'yomi しろ (白い = しろい, 'white'). In 告白 it's the on'yomi ハク (告白 = こくはく, 'confession'). As a rule, compounds take the on'yomi.
Why is 面白い read おもしろい and not something with しろ?
面白い (おもしろい, 'interesting/fun') is a well-known irregular reading. Even though it's written with 面 and 白, it isn't read from those parts — you simply memorize おもしろい as a set word.
How many strokes does 白 have?
白 has 5 strokes and is also the 'white' radical. It's a compact, symmetrical kanji, which makes it good practice for neat, balanced writing early on.
What does 白 mean besides the color white?
Beyond the color, 白 carries a sense of 'blank' or 'clear' — as in 白紙 (はくし, blank paper) and 告白 (こくはく, a confession / coming clean).