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黑白不分

hēi bái bù fēndictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
can't tell black from white (idiom) / unable to distinguish wrong from right
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-021f369a03740026. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

黑白不分 黑白不分 [hei1 bai2 bu4 fen1] /can't tell black from white (idiom); unable to distinguish wrong from right/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

  • 黑
    hēi

    black / dark / sinister / secret / shady / illegal / to hide (sth) away / to vilify / (loanword) to hack (computing)

    Hēi

    short name for Heilongjiang 黑龍江|黑龙江[Hēi lóng jiāng]

  • 白
    bái

    white / in vain / free of charge / (bound form) (of facts, the truth, a situation) clear / evident (e.g. 真相大白[zhēn xiàng dà bái]) / (bound form) plain / without additions (e.g. 白飯|白饭[bái fàn]) / (bound form) to explain / to state (e.g. 辯白|辩白[biàn bái]) / (bound form) to give a disdainful look (e.g. 白了他一眼[bái le tā yī yǎn]) / (bound form) vernacular (e.g. 白話|白话[bái huà]) / (bound form) spoken lines in opera (e.g. 念白[niàn bái]) / (bound form) reactionary / anti-communist (e.g. 白區|白区[bái qū])

    Bái

    surname Bai / Bai ethnic group

  • 不
    bù

    no / not so / (bound form) not / un-

  • 分
    fēn

    to divide / to separate / to distribute / to allocate / to distinguish (good and bad) / (bound form) branch of (an organization) / sub- (as in 分局[fēn jú]) / fraction / one tenth (of certain units) / unit of length equivalent to 0.33 cm / minute (unit of time) / minute (angular measurement unit) / a point (in sports or games) / 0.01 yuan (unit of money)

    fèn

    part / share / ingredient / component

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.