1.
to grow light, to brighten at dawn
For the sky to gradually lighten as dawn approaches. A literary and evocative word used to describe the transition from darkness to the first light of day.
空が白んできた。
The sky has started to lighten.
東の空が白むころ、鳥が鳴き始めた。
Around the time the eastern sky began to lighten, the birds started singing.
夜が白むまで語り明かした。
We talked through the night until dawn broke.
2.
to turn pale, to become white
For something to become pale or whitish, such as a person's face losing color.
顔が白んだ。
Their face turned pale.
恐怖で唇が白んでいた。
Their lips had turned pale with fear.
寒さで指先が白んでいく。
My fingertips are turning white from the cold.
USAGE:
Sense 1 is the more common usage and is literary/poetic. The phrase 空が白む or 東の空が白む is a classic way to describe dawn in Japanese literature. Sense 2 is less frequent and describes physical pallor.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 空が白む: the sky lightens (at dawn)
- 夜が白む: night gives way to dawn
- 東の空が白む: the eastern sky brightens
- 顔が白む: one's face turns pale