白

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

Stroke order

Han character

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

• Appendix:Chinese radical/白
• 伯, 𪞜, 㕷, 𡊚, 𡛳, 𪦺, 岶, 帕, 廹, 怕, 拍, 泊, 狛, 迫, 𢫗, 𣆆, 柏, 𭯖, 𤇢, 𭷛, 珀, 胉, 𥙃, 𭼈, 𥍡, 𥎷, 砶, 䄸, 袙, 粕, 絈, 𦐚, 舶, 𦫖, 𬠀, 貃, 䞟, 𫏴, 𨠘, 鉑(铂), 𧆽, 𩊀, 𩗀(𩙦), 𩛇, 𬈻, 鮊(鲌), 𧇤
• 劰, 𫨷, 𨚮, 敀, 𤝡, 㼟, 䎅, 𦫙, 𩑻, 魄, 䳆, 㒵, 𠡈, 𭎊, 㚖, 帛, 𣌣, 𢘣, 𣐩, 泉, 𭽾, 𨋧, 𣹻, 𩲸, 𣰗, 㒶, 苩, 𥬝, 𩶑, 𬲉
• 習 (in current form)

References

• 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

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		白

Glyph origin

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

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

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): bái, bó (bai², bo²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄞˊ, ㄅㄛˊ

  (Chengdu, SP): be²

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): бый (bɨy, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): baak⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): bak⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): pah⁷ / pet⁶
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): pha̍k

  (Meixian, Guangdong): pag⁶

• Jin (Wiktionary): bai¹ / bieh⁵
• Min Bei (KCR): bā / bà / bà̤
• Min Dong (BUC): băh / bĕk
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): pe̍h / pe̍eh / pe̍k / pia̍k

  (Teochew, Peng'im): bêh⁸

• Wu (Wiktionary): baq (T5)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): be⁶

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese, standard in Mainland and Taiwan, colloquial)⁺
    • Pinyin: bái
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄞˊ
    • Wade–Giles: pai2
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bair
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bái
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paɪ̯³⁵/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, literary variant)⁺
    • Pinyin: bó
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄛˊ
    • Wade–Giles: po2
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: bor
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bó
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pwɔ³⁵/

Note: bó - extremely limited in usage, sometimes used in the name Li Bai (李白).

• • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: be²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: be
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɛ²¹/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: бый (bɨy, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pei²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: baak⁶
    • Yale: baahk
    • Cantonese Pinyin: baak⁹
    • Guangdong Romanization: bag⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /päːk̚²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: bak⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pak̚³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: pah⁷ / pet⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pʰaʔ²/, /pʰɛt̚⁵/

Note:

• pah7 - vernacular;
• pet6 - literary (e.g. 明白).

Hakka

• (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: pha̍k
  • Hakka Romanization System: pag
  • Hagfa Pinyim: pag⁶
  • Sinological IPA: /pʰak̚⁵/
• (Meixian)
  • Guangdong: pag⁶
  • Sinological IPA: /pʰak̚⁵/

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: bai¹ / bieh⁵
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /pai¹¹/, /piəʔ⁵⁴/

Min Bei

• (Jian'ou)
  • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: bā / bà / bà̤
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pa⁵⁵/, /pa⁴²/, /pɛ⁴²/

Note:

• bā, bà - vernacular;
• bà̤ - literary.

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: băh / bĕk
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /paʔ⁵/, /pɛiʔ⁵/

Note:

• băh - vernacular;
• bĕk - literary.

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pe̍h
  • Tâi-lô: pe̍h
  • Phofsit Daibuun: peh
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /peʔ²⁴/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /peʔ⁴/
• (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pe̍eh
  • Tâi-lô: pe̍eh
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /pɛʔ¹²¹/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pe̍k
  • Tâi-lô: pi̍k
  • Phofsit Daibuun: pek
  • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /piɪk̚⁴/
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /piɪk̚¹²¹/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: pia̍k
  • Tâi-lô: pia̍k
  • Phofsit Daibuun: piak
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /piak̚²⁴/

Note:

• pe̍h/pe̍eh - vernacular (standalone and in most compounds, surname);
• pe̍k/pia̍k - literary (in a few compounds).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: bêh⁸
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: pe̍h
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /peʔ⁴/

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: baq (T5)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /b̥a̱ʔ¹²/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: be⁶
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pɤ̞²⁴/

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• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 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/

---

• Middle Chinese: /bˠæk̚/

Rime
Character	白
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	並 (3)
Final (韻)	陌 (113)
Tone (調)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	傍陌切
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

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*bˤrak/

  (Zhengzhang): /*braːɡ/

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

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

   • 凡殤與無後者，祭於宗子之家，當室之白，尊於東房，是謂陽厭。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     凡殇与无后者，祭于宗子之家，当室之白，尊于东房，是谓阳厌。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, circa 4^th – 2^nd century BCE

     Fánshāng yǔ wúhòu zhě, jì yú zōngzǐ zhī jiā, dāng shì zhī bái, zūn yú dōng fáng, shì wèi yángyàn. [Pinyin]

     In regard to all others who have died prematurely and have left no offspring, the sacrifice is offered to them in the house of the oldest son, where the apartment is the most light, with the vases in the chamber on the east. This is what is called the bright satisfying offering.

   • 相與枕藉乎舟中，不知東方之既白。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     相与枕借乎舟中，不知东方之既白。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1082, 蘇軾 (Su Shi), 《前赤壁賦》

     Xiàngyǔ zhěnjiè hū zhōu zhōng, bù zhī dōngfāng zhī jì bái. [Pinyin]

     The cups and plates leaned against one another in the boat, and we did not know the East has already turned bright white.

5. eminent; prominent

   • 是故窮則不隱，通則大明，身死而名彌白。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     是故穷则不隐，通则大明，身死而名弥白。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, circa 3^rd century BCE

     Shìgù qióng zé bù yǐn, tōng zé dà míng, shēn sǐ ér míng mí bái. [Pinyin]

     Therefore, the superior man, when in poverty or distress, is not obscured, and when his life is smooth, he becomes more famous. After his death, his reputation becomes even more 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

    • （白）無言獨上西樓，月如鉤…… [MSC, trad.]
      （白）无言独上西楼，月如钩…… [MSC, simp.]

      (bái) Wúyán dú shàng xīlóu, yuè rú gōu...... [Pinyin]

      (spoken:) Without words, I ascend the western tower by myself; the moon is like a hook […]
      (as may be displayed in the lyrics to Teresa Teng's “Du shang xilou” (獨上西樓))

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

• (in vain): (Min Nan) 干

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (白):

• → Japanese: 白(はく) (haku)
• → Korean: 백 (白, baek)
• → Vietnamese: bạch (白)

Others:

• → Proto-Southwestern Tai: *pʰɯəkᴰ¹ᴸ
  • Thai: เผือก (pʉ̀ʉak)
• → Proto-Vietic: *baːk
  • Vietnamese: bạc
• → Vietnamese: bệch (“chalky; sickly white”)

Compounds

• See 白/derived_terms § White (Chinese).

See also

• See 白/derived_terms § White (Chinese).

References

• “Entry #1860”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

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Japanese

Kanji

白

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

• Go-on: びゃく (byaku, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: はく (haku, Jōyō)
• Sō-on: ぱい (pai)
• Kun: しろ (shiro, 白, Jōyō); しら (shira, 白, Jōyō ^†); しろい (shiroi, 白い, Jōyō); もうす (mōsu, 白す)^{←まうす (mausu, historical)←まをす (mawosu, ancient)}; しらむ (shiramu, 白む)
• Nanori: あき (aki); あきら (akira); か (ka); きよ (kiyo); きよし (kiyoshi); し (shi); しろし (shiroshi); はっ (wa')

Compounds

• See 白/derived_terms § Kanji.

Etymology 1

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

• (Tokyo) し​ろ [shíꜜrò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɕiɾo̞]

Noun

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

Derived terms

• See 白/derived_terms § White (Japanese).

Etymology 2

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

• (Tokyo) し​ら [shíꜜrà] (Atamadaka – [1]) as an adjective
• IPA^(key): [ɕiɾa̠]

Prefix

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

• See 白/derived_terms § White (prefix).

Adjective

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

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

• 白(しら)を切(き)る (shira o kiru)

Etymology 3

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

• (Tokyo) は​く [háꜜkù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ha̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

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

• 三(さん)元(げん)牌(パイ) (sangenpai, “dragon tiles”): 白(ハク) (haku, “white dragon”), 發(ハツ)/𤼵(ハツ) (hatsu, “green dragon”), 中(チュン) (chun, “red dragon”)

Affix

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

• See 白/derived_terms § White (affix).

Etymology 4

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

白(びゃく) • (byaku) 

1. white

Derived terms

• See 白/derived_terms § White (2) (affix).

See also

• See 白/derived_terms § See also (Japanese).

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Korean

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Hanja

白 (eumhun 흰 백 (huin baek))

1. white

Hanja

白 (eumhun 아뢸 백 (aroel baek))

1. to tell, to inform

See also

• 擘

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Okinawan

Etymology

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

Noun

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

• Okinawan-English Wordbook (Mitsugu Sakihara)

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Old Korean

Etymology

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

白 (*SOLPO-)

1. to inform a superior; to report
   • c. 670, 廣德 (Gwangdeok), “願往生歌 (Wonwangsaeng-ga)”, in 三國遺事 (Samguk Yusa) [Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms]:

     慕人有如白遣賜立

     *KULILQ SALOM IS-ta SOLP-kwo-si-sye

     please inform [the Buddha] that there is a man longing [for the Pure Land]

2. an auxiliary verb or suffix honoring the direct or indirect object of the main verb [from c. 865.]
   • 1120, King Yejong of Goryeo, “悼二將歌 (Doijang-ga)”, in 平山申氏系譜 (Pyeongsan Sin-ssi Gyebo) [Genealogy of the Pyeongsan Sin descent group]:

     主乙完乎白乎心聞

     *NIM-ul WOOL-wo-SOLP-wo-n MOSOm-on

     as for the heart that admired his [honored] lord

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

• 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)
  • Early Modern Korean: ᄉᆞᆸ (-seup), ᄋᆞᆸ (-eup)
    • Korean: 으옵 (-euop-), 오 (-o-)
    • ⇒ Korean: 습니다 (-seumnida), ㅂ니다 (-mnida)
    • ⇒ Korean: 습니까 (-seumnikka), ㅂ니까 (-mnikka)
    • ⇒ Korean: 십시오 (-sipsio), 으십시오 (-eusipsio)
    • ⇒ Korean: 읍시다 (-eupsida), ㅂ시다 (-psida)
    • ⇒ Korean: 습디다 (-seupdida, dated), ㅂ디다 (-pdida)
    • ⇒ Korean: 습디까 (-seupdikka, dated), ㅂ디까 (-pdikka)
    • ⇒ Korean: 소 (-so, semi-formal speech level suffix)
      • ⇒ Korean: 요 (-yo, casually polite speech level particle)
  • Jeju: 읍 (-eup-) (no longer productive)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍서 (-eupseo), Jeju: ㅂ서 (-pseo)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍센 (-eupsen), Jeju: ㅂ센 (-psen)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍주 (-eupju), Jeju: ㅂ주 (-pju)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍데다 (-eupdeda), Jeju: ㅂ데다 (-pdeda)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍네다 (-eumneda), Jeju: ㅂ네다 (-mneda)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍데가 (-eupdega), Jeju: ㅂ데가 (-pdega)
  • ⇒ Jeju: 읍네까 (-eumnekka), Jeju: ㅂ네까 (-mnekka)

References

• 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

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Vietnamese

Han character

白: Hán Việt readings: bạch (薄(bạc)陌(mạch)切(thiết))
白: Nôm readings: bạch, bạc, trắng

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

Compounds

• 暴白 (bộc bạch)
• 白楊 (bạch dương)
• 白球 (bạch cầu)
• 白羊 (Bạch Dương)
• 白血 (bạch huyết)
• 白馬 (Bạch Mã)

 

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Zhuang

Verb

白

1. Sawndip form of baeg (“to be tired; to gasp”)