Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 共 originated as a pictograph showing two hands (廾) holding or presenting an object together. In ancient oracle bone script, it depicted hands jointly holding something, symbolizing communal action. Over time, it evolved through bronze script and seal script forms before standardizing into its modern form. The core meaning has always revolved around 'together,' 'common,' 'shared,' or 'mutual,' reflecting the fundamental human concept of collective effort and community. Arrived in Japan: The character 共 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, introduced alongside the broader adoption of Chinese writing system (kanji) through cultural exchange with China and Korea. It was part of the early wave of Chinese characters imported to Japan, primarily through Buddhist texts, Confucian classics, and official documents that came via Korean peninsula missionaries and diplomats.