The Kanji: 百 (Hyaku) - The "Hundred" Kanji
1. Meaning and Usage
Core Meaning: Hundred
Readings:
On'yomi (Chinese reading): ヒャク (hyaku)
Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): もも (momo) - mainly in classical Japanese
Common Words and Compounds:
百 (ひゃく / hyaku) - One hundred
三百 (さんびゃく / sanbyaku) - Three hundred
六百 (ろっぴゃく / roppyaku) - Six hundred
八百 (はっぴゃく / happyaku) - Eight hundred
百円 (ひゃくえん / hyakuen) - One hundred yen
百科事典 (ひゃっかじてん / hyakkajiten) - Encyclopedia ("hundred subjects dictionary")
2. Writing and Stroke Order: The White Hundred
The correct kanji writing for "百" builds upon the character for "one" with an added component.
Stroke Order:
Stroke 1: A short horizontal stroke from left to right
Stroke 2: A longer horizontal stroke parallel below the first
Stroke 3: A left-falling stroke from the center-top
Stroke 4: A right-falling stroke crossing the left-falling stroke
Stroke 5: A short horizontal stroke at the bottom
Stroke 6: A final long horizontal stroke forming the base
Significance of Correct Kanji Writing:
Component Recognition: The character combines 一 (one) at the top with a variation of 白 (white) below
Proportions: The top horizontal strokes should be shorter than the bottom horizontal stroke
Balance: The character should appear balanced with the "white" component properly centered under the "one"
3. Historical Origin and Evolution
The history of "百" reveals an interesting phonetic and conceptual development.
Oracle Bone Script (甲骨文字):
The earliest form combined 一 (one) with a symbol representing a counting token or vessel. This represented "one hundred" as a complete counting unit.
Bronze Script (金文):
The form evolved to more clearly show the combination of 一 (one) above what would become 白 (white).
Seal Script (篆書):
The character took its modern recognizable form, with the bottom component clearly resembling 白 (white).
Modern Form (楷書):
The modern "百" maintains the clear structure of one (一) over white (白).
Phonetic Connection:
The character was created using the rebus principle:
The original word for "hundred" sounded similar to the word for "white"
The character 白 (white) was borrowed for its sound
一 (one) was added to specify the numerical meaning
Cultural Connection:
In Japanese culture, the number hundred (百) carries significant meaning:
Completeness: Represents a large, complete set as in 百貨店 (hyakkaten) - department store (carrying hundreds of items)
Longevity: Appears in celebrations like 百歳 (hyakusai/momose) - 100th birthday
Traditional Arts: In poetry, 百人一首 (hyakunin isshu) is the classic anthology of 100 poems by 100 poets
Sound Changes: Demonstrates Japanese phonetic changes in compounds (e.g., 三百 - sanbyaku, 六百 - roppyaku)
Summary
The kanji "百" represents a fascinating example of phonetic borrowing in kanji development. What began as a combination of "one" with a counting symbol evolved into its current form through sound association with "white." Mastering its stroke order teaches important principles of component combination in Japanese kanji writing. When you learn how to write kanji like "百," you're engaging with a character that demonstrates both the logical structure and phonetic creativity of the Japanese writing system - a perfect unit of one hundred that has maintained its essential meaning while adapting its form across millennia of linguistic evolution.