Japanese word of the day: 真っ白 (Masshiro)

What does 真っ白 (Masshiro) mean?

真っ白 — Something that is completely white, such as snow or a white dress.

真っ白 is used as both an adjective and a noun, and its usage is common in everyday Japanese language, often appearing in contexts related to visual descriptions or mental states.

Kanji details for 真 and 白

Character: 真 — true, reality,
Radical: eye 目

Character: 白 — white
Radical: white 白

Example sentences with 真っ白 (Masshiro)

• 外は一面真っ白だ。
  (Soto wa ichimen masshiro da.)
  ☃️ It's white all over outside.

• 緊張で頭の中が真っ白になった。
  (Kinchō de atama no naka ga masshiro ni natta.)
  💭 My mind went blank from nervousness.

• 母は私に真っ白ドレスを作ってくれた。
  (Haha wa watashi ni masshiro doresu o tsukutte kureta.)
  👗 Haha wa watashi ni masshiro doresu o tsukutte kureta.

真っ白 (Masshiro) in context

真っ白 (masshiro) carries more impact than the basic word for white (白い/shiroi) because the 真っ (mass-) prefix intensifies the meaning. In everyday conversation, you'll often hear it in phrases like "頭が真っ白になる" (atama ga masshiro ni naru) to describe when someone's mind goes completely blank from stress or surprise. However, avoid using masshiro for off-white or cream-colored items, as it specifically denotes pure white.

For describing partially white objects or subtle white shades, stick with 白い (shiroi) or use modifiers like 薄い白 (usui shiro/light white). Also, while masshiro works well in casual and formal contexts, in technical or scientific discussions where precise color specification is needed, more specific terminology might be appropriate. When writing formally, consider that the kanji form 真っ白 is preferred over the hiragana まっしろ, though both are understood.