I've been reading up on basic home wiring. After I few pages I have
one basic question that I need to get a good answer to before I read
more.

All my reading refers to the black wire as the "hot" wire and the white
wire as the "neutral" wire. Polorized plugs force the black wire on
the outlet to connect to the black wire on the appliance.

The reason all this is supposedly done is because current flows from
the black wire in the fuse box to the white wire the neutral bus bar in
the fuse box.

Now why I may buy this "current flow" for direct current, it seems to
run against the concept of alternating current.

Can someone set me straight on this topic? What EXACTLY do the terms
"hot" and "neutral" mean?

Thanks