Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
Historical forms are not available yet. The current form is shown as a reference.
The kanji "励" is a phono-semantic compound character, formed during the clerical script transition in China. Its semantic component is 厂 (cliff) combined with 万 (ten thousand), which originally depicted a scorpion but was borrowed for its sound. The modern form 厲 signifies "severe" or "strict." The character "励" was created by adding the "strength" (力) radical to 厲, indicating the application of severe or strict effort, thus deriving the meaning "to encourage," "to strive," or "to exert oneself." Historically, the character evolved from ancient forms where 厂 represented a cliff or precipice, suggesting a harsh, unyielding environment. The addition of 力 transformed the meaning from mere severity to the vigorous and disciplined exertion of strength required to overcome such harshness. This conceptual shift from an external condition (strictness) to an internal action (striving) is key to its meaning of encouragement. The character was standardized into its current form during the Han dynasty. "励" arrived in Japan between the 5th and 6th centuries, primarily through the importation of Chinese Buddhist texts and Confucian classics via the Korean peninsula. It was adopted into the Japanese writing system as part of the kanji orthography. A significant cultural note is its use in the modern Japanese term "鼓勵" (kourei), which means "encouragement." This compound perfectly encapsulates the etymology, as 鼓 means "to drum" or "rouse," and 励 adds the nuance of persistent effort, together conveying the idea of rousing someone to strive diligently.