How do you say "white" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "white" is (shiro). It is a adjective pronounced "shee-roh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

白 is written in kanji. Romanised as shiro, it sounds roughly like "shee-roh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

雪は白いです。

Yuki wa shiroi desu.

Snow is white.

Usage notes

Shiro (白) means white. In Japan, white is associated with purity and is traditionally worn at Shinto weddings. The adjective form is shiroi, as in shiroi yuki (white snow).

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Questions about 白

How do you pronounce 白?

白 is romanised as shiro. Say it roughly like "shee-roh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 白 formal or casual?

白 is a na-adjective or noun-adjective. It is neutral in register and fits naturally in both casual and polite sentences. Add na before a noun, or use desu for a polite predicate.

How is 白 written in Japanese?

白 is written using kanji. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.