白

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See also: 日, 曰, 臼, 自, and 百
白 U+767D, 白
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-767D
← 發
[U+767C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 百 →
[U+767E]
⽩ U+2F69, ⽩
KANGXI RADICAL WHITE
← ⽨
[U+2F68] 		Kangxi Radicals ⽪ →
[U+2F6A]

Translingual[edit]

Stroke order

Han character[edit]

See images of
Radical 106 白

白 (Kangxi radical 106, 白+0, 5 strokes, cangjie input 竹日 (HA), four-corner 26000, composition ⿱丿日)

  1. Kangxi radical #106, ⽩.

Derived characters[edit]

References[edit]

  • KangXi: page 785, character 1
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 22678
  • Dae Jaweon: page 1196, character 1
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2642, character 1
  • Unihan data for U+767D

Chinese[edit]

simp. and trad.
 白
Wikipedia has articles on:

Glyph origin[edit]

Historical forms of the character 白
Shang Western Zhou Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts
Characters in the same phonetic series (白) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
怕 *pʰraːɡs, *pʰraːɡ
帕 *pʰraːɡs, *mbraːd
粕 *pʰaːɡ, *pʰraːɡ
胉 *pʰaːɡ
泊 *baːɡ
箔 *baːɡ
魄 *tʰaːɡ, *pʰraːɡ
皕 *prɯɡ
伯 *praːɡ
百 *praːɡ
迫 *praːɡ
敀 *praːɡ, *pʰraːɡ
柏 *praːɡ
湐 *praːɡ
拍 *pʰraːɡ
珀 *pʰraːɡ
皛 *pʰraːɡ, *ɡeːwʔ
洦 *mpʰraːɡ, *mbraːɡ
白 *braːɡ
帛 *braːɡ
舶 *braːɡ
鮊 *braːɡ
陌 *mbraːɡ
帞 *mbraːɡ
袹 *mbraːɡ
蛨 *mbraːɡ
貊 *mbraːɡ
佰 *mbraːɡ
銆 *mbraːɡ
碧 *praɡ, *preɡ
咟 *ɦmreːɡ

Unclear; probably a pictogram (象形).

Guo (1954) suggests that it represents a thumb and is original form of 拇 (OC *mɯʔ) or, more probably, 擘 (OC *preːɡ).

Alternatively, Unger (apud Schuessler, 2007) suggests that it represents an acorn, noting its use in 樂 (“oak”) (= 櫟) and 皂 (“acorn”).

Etymology[edit]

STEDT derives it from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bawk (“white”), whence also Proto-Bodo-Garo *bok (“white”), Limbu ᤑ (phô, “white”); also compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *kɓɔɔk (“white, grey”).

However, Schuessler (2007) finds it difficult to reconcile these forms with Middle Chinese due to the lack of medial r. Instead, he proposes a derivation from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *bar (“white”) with -k extension, thus cognate with 皤 (OC *baːl, “white”) (Wang, 1982), Mizo vâr (“(to be) white”), Proto-Karen *ʔ(b)wa (“white”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Note: bó - extremely limited in usage, sometimes used in the name Li Bai (李白).
Note:
  • pah7 - vernacular;
  • pet6 - literary (e.g. 明白).
  • Hakka
  • Jin
  • Min Bei
    • Note:
    • bā, bà - vernacular;
    • bà̤ - literary.
  • Min Dong
    • Note:
    • băh - vernacular;
    • bĕk - literary.
  • Min Nan
    • Note:
    • pe̍h/pe̍eh - vernacular (standalone and in most compounds, surname);
    • pe̍k/pia̍k - literary (in a few compounds).
  • Wu
  • Xiang
    • Dialectal data
    Variety Location 白
    Mandarin Beijing /pai³⁵/
    Harbin /pai²⁴/
    Tianjin /pai⁴⁵/
    Jinan /pei²¹³/
    Qingdao /pe⁴²/
    Zhengzhou /pɛ⁴²/
    Xi'an /pei²⁴/
    Xining /pɨ²⁴/
    Yinchuan /pia¹³/
    /pɛ¹³/
    Lanzhou /pə⁵³/
    Ürümqi /pai⁵¹/
    /pei⁵¹/
    Wuhan /pɤ²¹³/
    Chengdu /pe³¹/
    Guiyang /pɛ²¹/
    Kunming /pə³¹/
    Nanjing /pəʔ⁵/
    Hefei /pɐʔ⁵/
    Jin Taiyuan /pai¹¹/
    /piəʔ⁵⁴/
    Pingyao /piʌʔ⁵³/ ～的
    /pæ¹³/ ～菜
    Hohhot /pɛ³¹/
    Wu Shanghai /baʔ¹/
    Suzhou /bɑʔ³/
    Hangzhou /bɑʔ²/
    Wenzhou /ba²¹³/
    Hui Shexian /pʰɛ²²/
    Tunxi /pʰa¹¹/
    Xiang Changsha /pə²⁴/
    Xiangtan /pæ²⁴/
    Gan Nanchang /pʰɑʔ²/
    Hakka Meixian /pʰak̚⁵/
    Taoyuan /pʰɑk̚⁵⁵/
    Cantonese Guangzhou /pak̚²/
    Nanning /pak̚²²/
    Hong Kong /pak̚²/
    Min Xiamen (Min Nan) /pik̚⁵/
    /peʔ⁵/
    Fuzhou (Min Dong) /paʔ⁵/
    Jian'ou (Min Bei) /pa⁴⁴/
    /pɛ⁴²/
    Shantou (Min Nan) /peʔ⁵/
    Haikou (Min Nan) /ʔbɔk̚⁵/
    /ʔbɛ³⁵/
    Rime
    Character 白
    Reading # 1/1
    Initial (聲) 並 (3)
    Final (韻) 庚 (113)
    Tone (調) Checked (Ø)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) II
    Fanqie 傍陌切
    Baxter baek
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang         		/bˠæk̚/
    Pan
    Wuyun         		/bᵚak̚/
    Shao
    Rongfen         		/bak̚/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank         		/baɨjk̚/
    Li
    Rong         		/bɐk̚/
    Wang
    Li         		/bɐk̚/
    Bernard
    Karlgren         		/bʱɐk̚/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex         		bó
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex         		bak6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 白
    Reading # 1/1
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)         		bái
    Middle
    Chinese         		‹ bæk ›
    Old
    Chinese         		/*bˁrak/
    English white

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 白
    Reading # 1/1
    No. 207
    Phonetic
    component         		白
    Rime
    group         		鐸
    Rime
    subdivision         		0
    Corresponding
    MC rime         		白
    Old
    Chinese         		/*braːɡ/

    Definitions[edit]

    白

    1. white
      白色  ―  báisè  ―  white color
      白茶  ―  báichá  ―  white tea
    2. clear; easy to understand
      明白  ―  míngbai'  ―  clear, obvious
      淺白／浅白  ―  qiǎnbái  ―  simple
    3. clear; pure; plain; blank
      白紙／白纸  ―  báizhǐ  ―  a blank sheet of paper
      白卷  ―  báijuǎn  ―  blank exam paper
      白水  ―  báishuǐ  ―  plain water
      白粥  ―  báizhōu  ―  plain congee
    4. bright; well-lit
    5. eminent; prominent
    6. vernacular
      白話／白话  ―  báihuà  ―  spoken language
    7. dialect
      蘇白／苏白  ―  sūbái  ―  Suzhou dialect
      京白  ―  jīngbái  ―  Beijing dialect
    8. Short for 白讀／白读 (báidú, “colloquial reading”).
    9. reactionary; anticommunist
      白軍／白军  ―  báijūn  ―  The White army
      白區／白区  ―  báiqū  ―  The White area
      白色恐怖  ―  báisèkǒngbù  ―  the White terror
    10. in vain; for nothing
      我們沒有白忙。／我们没有白忙。  ―  Wǒmen méiyǒu bái máng.  ―  Our efforts were not in vain.
      她白等了。  ―  Tā bái děng le.  ―  She waited in vain.
      他們的血沒有白流。 [MSC, trad.]
      他们的血没有白流。 [MSC, simp.]
      Tāmen de xuè méiyǒu bái liú. [Pinyin]
      Their blood was not shed in vain.
      所有的工作都白做了。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]
      Suǒyǒu de gōngzuò dōu bái zuò le. [Pinyin]
      All the work has been done for nothing.
      白來一趟／白来一趟  ―  bái lái yītàng  ―  to come in vain; to come for nothing
      白給的東西／白给的东西  ―  báigěi de dōngxi  ―  something given for nothing
    11. free of charge; gratuitous; gratis
      你可以白拿走這些蘋果。 [MSC, trad.]
      你可以白拿走这些苹果。 [MSC, simp.]
      Nǐ kěyǐ bái názǒu zhè xiē píngguǒ. [Pinyin]
      You can have these apples for free.
    12. to stare coldly; to stare at someone with the white of the eyes
      她生氣地白了他一眼。 [MSC, trad.]
      她生气地白了他一眼。 [MSC, simp.]
      Tā shēngqì de bái le tā yīyǎn. [Pinyin]
      She gave him an angry stare.
    13. to explain; to present; to state
      自白  ―  zìbái  ―  explain oneself, confess
      開場白／开场白  ―  kāichǎngbái  ―  preamble
      表白  ―  biǎobái  ―  to explain oneself
      辯白／辩白  ―  biànbái  ―  to explain, to defend oneself
    14. to mispronounce or wrongly write a character
      我老是寫白字讀破句。 [MSC, trad.]
      我老是写白字读破句。 [MSC, simp.]
      Wǒ lǎoshì xiě bái zì dúpòjù. [Pinyin]
      I always mispronounce words and break my sentences up in the wrong places.
      我把這字念白了。／我把这字念白了。  ―  Wǒ bǎ zhè zì niàn bái le.  ―  I've mispronounced the character.
    15. spoken lines
      念白  ―  niànbái  ―  spoken parts of a Chinese opera
      道白  ―  dàobái  ―  spoken parts of a Chinese opera
      獨白／独白  ―  dúbái  ―  monologue
      對白／对白  ―  duìbái  ―  dialogue
    16. funeral
      紅白喜事／红白喜事  ―  hóngbáixǐshì  ―  weddings and funerals
    17. A surname. Bai
      白崇禧  ―  Bái Chóngxǐ  ―  Bai Chongxi
    18. (～族) Bai, an ethnic group living primarily in Yunnan, China

    Synonyms[edit]

    • (in vain): (Min Nan) 干

    Descendants[edit]

    Sino-Xenic (白):
    • → Japanese: 白(はく) (haku)
    • → Korean: 백(白) (baek)
    • → Jeju: 벡 (bek)
    • → Vietnamese: bạch (白)

    Others:

    Compounds[edit]

    See also[edit]

    Colors in Chinese · 顏色 (layout · text)
         白色      灰色      黑色
                 紅色, 赤色; 緋紅色, 豔紅色, 大紅              橙色; 棕色, 褐色              黃色; 奶油色
                 青檸色              綠色             
                 青色; 深青色              湛藍色, 蔚藍色, 天藍色              藍色
                 紫羅蘭色; 靛色              洋紅色; 紫色              粉紅色

    References[edit]

    Japanese[edit]

    Kanji[edit]

    白

    (grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

    Readings[edit]

    Compounds[edit]

    Compounds

    Etymology 1[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    白
    しろ
    Grade: 1
    kun’yomi

    ⟨siro1⟩ → */sirʷo/ → /ɕiro/

    From Old Japanese.

    The standalone apophonic form of shira below.

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    白(しろ) • (shiro) 

    1. the color white
      Coordinate term: 黒 (kuro, “black”)
    2. (by extension) innocence
      Coordinate term: 黒 (kuro, “guilt”)
    3. (go) a white go stone
    4. something unwritten
    5. (colloquial) the white team in a 紅白 (kōhaku) group
    6. (colloquial) an unlicensed prostitute
    7. (colloquial) Short for 銀 (shirogane): silver
    8. (colloquial) Synonym of 塩 (shio): salt
    9. (colloquial) Short for 白書院 (shiroshoin): a specific kind of drawing room or study, using unpainted cedar wood with straight grain
    10. a type of もつ焼き (motsuyaki) made from pig intestines
    11. in the game of 人狼 (Jinrō, “Werewolf; Mafia”), one who is on the villagers' side
      Antonym: 黒 (kuro)
      確定白(かくていしろ)・確白(かくしろ)
      kakutei-shiro kakushiro
      one who is certainly on the villagers' side
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    白
    しら
    Grade: 1
    kun’yomi

    ⟨sira⟩ → /ɕira/

    From Old Japanese.

    The combining apophonic form of shiro above, mostly used in compounds.

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Prefix[edit]

    白(しら) • (shira-) 

    1. Combining form of しろ (shiro) above:
      1. white
      2. undyed, unpainted, unseasoned, etc.
      3. pure
      4. innocent
      5. normal, unspecial
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    Adjective[edit]

    白(しら) • (shira) -na (adnominal 白(しら)な (shira na), adverbial 白(しら)に (shira ni))

    1. unapplied, undecorated; also the object that is unapplied or undecorated
    2. honest, serious; also the person who is honest or serious
    3. normal, unspecial; also the person who is normal or unspecial in position, occupation, or condition
    Inflection[edit]
    Inflection of 白
    Stem forms
    Imperfective (未然形) 白だろ しらだろ shira daro
    Continuative (連用形) 白で しらで shira de
    Terminal (終止形) 白だ しらだ shira da
    Attributive (連体形) 白な しらな shira na
    Hypothetical (仮定形) 白なら しらなら shira nara
    Imperative (命令形) 白であれ しらであれ shira de are
    Key constructions
    Informal negative 白ではない
    白じゃない         		しらではない
    しらじゃない         		shira de wa nai
    shira ja nai
    Informal past 白だった しらだった shira datta
    Informal negative past 白ではなかった
    白じゃなかった         		しらではなかった
    しらじゃなかった         		shira de wa nakatta
    shira ja nakatta
    Formal 白です しらです shira desu
    Formal negative 白ではありません
    白じゃありません         		しらではありません
    しらじゃありません         		shira de wa arimasen
    shira ja arimasen
    Formal past 白でした しらでした shira deshita
    Formal negative past 白ではありませんでした
    白じゃありませんでした         		しらではありませんでした
    しらじゃありませんでした         		shira de wa arimasen deshita
    shira ja arimasen deshita
    Conjunctive 白で しらで shira de
    Conditional 白なら（ば） しらなら（ば） shira nara (ba)
    Provisional 白だったら しらだったら shira dattara
    Volitional 白だろう しらだろう shira darō
    Adverbial 白に しらに shira ni
    Degree 白さ しらさ shirasa
    Classical conjugation of "白なり" (ナリ活用, see Appendix:Japanese verbs.)
    Stem forms
    Irrealis (未然形) 白なら しらなら siranara
    Continuative (連用形) 白に[1]
    白なり[2]    		 しらに
    しらなり    		 sirani
    siranari
    Terminal (終止形) 白なり しらなり siranari
    Attributive (連体形) 白なる しらなる siranaru
    Realis (已然形) 白なれ しらなれ siranare
    Imperative (命令形) 白なれ しらなれ siranare
    Key constructions
    Negative 白ならず しらならず siranarazu
    Contrasting conjunction 白なれど しらなれど siranaredo
    Causal conjunction 白なれば しらなれば siranareba
    Conditional conjunction 白ならば しらならば siranaraba
    Past tense (firsthand knowledge) 白なりき しらなりき siranariki
    Past tense (secondhand knowledge) 白なりけり しらなりけり siranarikeri
    Adverbial 白に しらに sirani
    [1]Without auxiliary verb.
    [2]With auxiliary verb.
    Idioms[edit]

    Etymology 3[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    白
    はく
    Grade: 1
    kan’on

    From Middle Chinese 白 (MC bˠæk̚).

    The 漢音 (kan'on, literally “Han sound”) reading, so likely a later borrowing from Middle Chinese.

    Pronunciation[edit]

    Noun[edit]

    白(はく) • (haku) 

    1. the color white
    2. Short for 白人 (hakujin): an amateur
    3. a performer's lines
      Synonym: 台詞 (serifu)
    4. (mahjong) a white dragon tile
      Synonym: 白板 (paipan)
      Hypernym: 三元牌 (sangenpai)
    5. (mahjong) a 役 (yaku, “winning hand”) with a triplet or quad of white dragon tiles, worth 1 翻 (han, “double”)
      Hypernym: 役牌 (yakuhai, yaku-pai)
    Coordinate terms[edit]

    Affix[edit]

    白(はく) • (haku) 

    1. white
    2. colorless, dirtless, markless
    3. bright and clear
    4. humbly say
    5. sake cup
    6. Short for 白居易 (Haku Kyoi): Bai Juyi
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    Etymology 4[edit]

    Kanji in this term
    白
    びゃく
    Grade: 1
    goon

    From Middle Chinese 白 (MC bˠæk̚).

    The 呉音 (goon, literally “Wu sound”) reading, so likely the original borrowing from Middle Chinese.

    Affix[edit]

    白(びゃく) • (byaku) 

    1. white
    Derived terms[edit]
    Derived terms

    See also[edit]

    Colors in Japanese · 色(いろ) (iro) (layout · text)
         白(しろ) (shiro)      灰(はい)色(いろ) (haīro),
    鼠(ねずみ)色(いろ) (nezumīro) (dated)     		     黒(くろ) (kuro)
                 赤(あか) (aka); 深(しん)紅(く) (shinku),
    クリムゾン (kurimuzon),
    紅(べに)色(いろ) (benīro),
    紅(くれない)色(いろ) (kurenaīro),
    茜(あかね)色(いろ) (akaneiro)     		             オレンジ (orenji),
    橙(だいだい)色(いろ) (daidaīro); 茶(ちゃ)色(いろ) (chairo),
    褐(かっ)色(しょく) (kasshoku)     		             黄(き)色(いろ) (kīro); クリーム色(いろ) (kurīmuiro)
                 黄(き)緑(みどり) (kimidori)              緑(みどり) (midori),
    青(あお) (ao) (dated)     		             若緑(わかみどり) (wakamidori)
                 シアン (shian); 鴨(かも)の羽色(はねいろ) (kamo no hane iro)              水(みず)色(いろ) (mizuiro)              青(あお) (ao)
                 菫(すみれ)色(いろ) (sumireiro); 藍(あい)色(いろ) (aīro),
    インジゴ (injigo)     		             マゼンタ (mazenta); 紫(むらさき) (murasaki)              ピンク (pinku),
    桃(もも)色(いろ) (momoiro)

    References[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

    Korean[edit]

    Etymology[edit]

    From Middle Chinese 白 (MC bˠæk̚).

    Hanja[edit]

    白 (eumhun 흰 백 (huin baek))

    1. Hanja form? of 백 (“white”).

    白 (eumhun 아뢸 백 (aroel baek))

    1. Hanja form? of 백 (“tell, inform”).

    See also[edit]

    Okinawan[edit]

    Etymology[edit]

    Cognate with Japanese 白 (shiro, “white”).

    Noun[edit]

    白 (hiragana しるー, rōmaji shirū)

    1. white (color)
      くれー、白 (しるー)やいびーん。
      Kurē, shirū yaibīn.
      This is white.

    References[edit]

    • Okinawan-English Wordbook (Mitsugu Sakihara)

    Old Korean[edit]

    Etymology[edit]

    The first attested meaning is "to report to a superior", from which the generally honorific meaning developed, presumably via an intermediary circumlocutional construction which is not attested. The orthography is logogramic; see the Chinese entry's definitions, specifically “to explain; to present; to state”.

    Verb[edit]

    白 (*SOLPO-)

    1. to inform a superior; to report
    2. an auxiliary verb or suffix honoring the direct or indirect object of the main verb [from c. 865.]
    3. an auxiliary verb or suffix honoring the subject of the main verb
      • c. 1250, Interpretive gugyeol glosses to the Humane King Sutra:
        口良中常利說法爲白乎隱矣
        IP-akuy SYANG-i SYEL.PEP-ho-so(l)p-wo-l to-y
        In [honorable your] constant preaching of the Dharma from the mouth
        (N.B. Gugyeol glyphs are given in non-abbreviated forms.)
      Synonym: 賜 (*-si)

    Descendants[edit]

    • Middle Korean: ᄉᆞᆲ다 (solpta, “to report to a superior”)
      • Early Modern Korean: ᄉᆞᆯ오다 (solwota, “to report to a superior”)
        • Korean: 사뢰다 (saroeda, “to report to a superior”)
      • Jeju: ᄉᆞᆯ루다 (sawlluda, “to tell, speak to a superior”)
    • Middle Korean: ᅀᆞᇦ (-zoW-, verbal honorific suffix for the direct or indirect object) (see there for further descendants)

    References[edit]

    • 황선엽 (Hwang Seon-yeop), 이전경 (Yi Jeon-gyeong), 하귀녀 (Ha Gwi-nyeo), 이용 (Yi Yong), 박진호 (Park Jin-ho), 김성주 (Kim Seong-ju), 장경준 (Jang Gyeong-jun), 서민욱 (Seo Min-uk), 이지영 (Yi Ji-yeong), 서형국 (Seo Hyeong-guk). (2009) 석독구결사전/釋讀口訣辭典 [Dictionary of interpretive gugyeol], Bakmunsa, →ISBN, pages 168—169
    • 남풍현 (Nam Pung-hyeon) (2011), “古代韓國語의 謙讓法 助動詞 '白/ᄉᆞᆲ'과 '內/아'의 發達 [The development of the Old Korean humble auxiliary verbs '白 SOLP-' and '內 *A-']”, in Gugyeol Yeon'gu, volume 26, pages 131–166

    Vietnamese[edit]

    Han character[edit]

    白: Hán Việt readings: bạch (薄(bạc)陌(mạch)切(thiết))[1][2][3]
    白: Nôm readings: bạch[1][2][3], bạc[1][3], trắng[1]

    1. (only in compounds) chữ Hán form of bạch (“white”).
    2. Nôm form of bạc (“silver”).

    Compounds[edit]

    Derived terms

    References[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Nguyễn (2014).
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Trần (2004).

    Zhuang[edit]

    Verb[edit]

    白

    1. Sawndip form of baeg (“to be tired; to gasp”)
    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=白&oldid=72700373"