1.
white background; white base
A white surface or background, especially on fabric, paper, or ceramics, onto which patterns or text may be applied.
白地に青い花柄のワンピース。
A dress with a blue floral pattern on a white background.
白地に赤い水玉のシャツを着ている。
She is wearing a white shirt with red polka dots.
白地の茶碗に藍色の模様が美しい。
The indigo pattern on the white tea bowl is beautiful.
2.
blank area; unprinted space
An empty, unfilled area on a document, form, or surface where nothing has been written or printed.
白地の部分にサインしてください。
Please sign in the blank area.
地図の白地は未調査の地域を示す。
The blank areas on the map indicate unsurveyed regions.
白地地図に国名を書き込む授業をした。
We had a class where we filled in country names on a blank map.
A compound of 白 (white) and 地 (ground, base, fabric). The 地 here refers to the base surface or background, the same character used in 生地 (fabric, material).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 白地に～ — a pattern/design on a white background
- 白地地図 — blank map (outline map without labels)
- 白地の皿 — plain white plate
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 無地 — solid color, plain (no pattern at all, not necessarily white)
- 余白 — margin, blank space (on paper or in a document)
- 黒地 — black background (same pattern with different color)