A white flag is a symbol of surrender or a request to stop fighting. When an army raises a white flag during battle, they're signaling that they want to give up and end the conflict. The white color, visible from a distance and associated with peace and neutrality, makes the message clear to both sides.

The tradition goes back centuries in military history. Soldiers carrying white flags could approach enemy lines safely to negotiate terms of surrender or discuss a temporary truce. Breaking this rule by attacking someone under a white flag was considered dishonorable and, in modern times, is a war crime.

Outside of actual warfare, people use the phrase wave the white flag or raise the white flag to mean giving up on a difficult struggle. A student wrestling with an impossible math problem might joke about waving the white flag. A chef attempting a complicated recipe might raise the white flag and order pizza instead.

Raising a white flag means choosing to stop fighting, not being defeated by force.