告白（こくはく、kokuhaく）
- confession

The Japanese word 告白, pronounced こくはく (kokuhaku), primarily means "confession". It carries a strong connotation of revealing something personal, often something previously kept secret. This can apply to a variety of situations, but it's most commonly associated with confessing one's feelings of love to someone. It can also mean a confession of a crime or wrongdoing. In essence, 告白 is about making a declaration of something significant.

⚫︎ 彼告白 Translation: He confessed. ⚫︎ 彼女は彼に愛を告白した Translation: She confessed her love to him. ⚫︎ 警察は犯人の告白を得た Translation: The police obtained the confession of the criminal.

⚫︎ 告白 is a versatile word, but it is often used in situations where there is some degree of vulnerability or risk involved in revealing the truth. ⚫︎ In a romantic context, it's used when expressing one's feelings to someone, hoping for a positive response, but also accepting the possibility of rejection. ⚫︎ In a legal or moral context, it is used to describe admitting guilt or revealing a wrongdoing.

⚫︎ 告白 is typically written in kanji: 告白. The reading is こくはく. The kanji 告 means "to tell" or "to inform," and 白 means "white," "clear," or "reveal." There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana (送りがな) doesn't change.

⚫︎ 自白 (じはく - Jihaku): confession (usually of a crime). ⚫︎ 打ち明ける (うちあける - Uchiakeru): to confide; to open one's heart. ⚫︎ 白状する (はくじょうする - Hakujōsuru): to confess, to admit. ⚫︎ 告げる (つげる - Tsugeru): to tell, to inform. (This is a more general verb).

⚫︎ 隠す (かくす - Kakusu): to hide, to conceal. ⚫︎ 秘密にする (ひみつにする - Himitsu ni suru): to keep secret. ⚫︎ 否定する (ひていする - Hitei suru): to deny.

勇気を出して、好きな人に告白した。 ・Translation: I gathered my courage and confessed to the person I like. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the romantic usage of 告白, expressing feelings of love.

彼は罪を告白し、警察に逮捕された。 ・Translation: He confessed to the crime and was arrested by the police. ・Explanation: This sentence demonstrates the usage of 告白 in the context of admitting guilt or wrongdoing.

The word 告白 is a combination of two kanji. 告 indicates the act of telling or informing, and 白 suggests the idea of making something clear or revealed. Together, they form the meaning of "confessing" or "making something clear."