Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 仕 evolved from ancient forms depicting a person (亻) serving or working for a superior. In Liushutong, L34132 shows a clearer precursor to the modern form, combining the 'person' radical with an element representing service or official duty. Originally meaning 'to serve' or 'to work as an official,' 仕 came to represent the scholar-official class in ancient China and carries connotations of civil service and professional work. The character embodies the Confucian ideal of loyal service to the state and proper conduct in official capacities. Arrived in Japan: The character 仕 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through cultural exchange with Korea and China. It became established in Japanese as part of the kanji importation that occurred primarily during the Asuka and Nara periods, used in words like 仕える (tsukaeru, to serve) and 仕事 (shigoto, work/job).