Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 白 (bái) originally depicted a thumb or a grain of rice, representing something small and white. In oracle bone script, it appeared as a white dot or grain shape. Over time, it evolved to mean 'white,' 'bright,' or 'clear.' The character symbolizes purity and simplicity in Chinese culture, and it's used in words like 白天 (daytime), 明白 (understand), and 白菜 (cabbage). Arrived in Japan: The character 白 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the introduction of Chinese writing system through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange. It was incorporated into Japanese as the kanji 白 (shiro), meaning 'white,' and appears in many Japanese words like 白い (shiroi - white), 明白 (meihaku - obvious), and 白紙 (hakushi - blank paper).