Definitions
(adjective)
white
(adjective)
pure; clear; blank; empty
(adverb)
in vain; for nothing
(verb)
to explain; to state
Etymology
Origin unclear. Possibly depicts a thumb or a person's face.
About
The character 白, representing the color white, derives from an early pictographic element often interpreted as a symbol of sunlight or a luminous object, conveying inherent associations with brightness and purity. Its structure is fundamentally simple, consisting of a single, indivisible component that has preserved its basic shape across centuries of use. While its primary meaning has always been the color white, over time the character acquired extended semantic layers, incorporating ideas of clarity, plainness, and emptiness, as well as developing verbal functions such as to state, explain, or justify, observable in classical usage and modern compounds like 明白 (to understand) and 白事 (funeral affairs). This gradual shift from a purely descriptive term to one with broader conceptual and grammatical roles illustrates a natural process of linguistic adaptation.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
天空是白色的。
我买了一件白衬衫。
他白跑了一趟。
我终于明白了。
白天工作，晚上学习。
他的头发都白了。
这部电影白看了一场。
她白费了不少心思。