Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 外 (wài) originally depicted the moon (夕) outside or beyond the divination rituals (卜), signifying 'outside' or 'beyond.' In ancient China, divination was central to decision-making, so what lay outside this sacred practice was considered the external world. Over time, 外 evolved to represent concepts like 'exterior,' 'foreign,' or 'other,' reflecting its core idea of being outside the established boundaries. Arrived in Japan: The character 外 was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period (around 300 BCE–300 CE) or early Kofun period, primarily through cultural exchanges with China and Korea, such as the arrival of Confucian texts and Buddhist scriptures. It became part of the Japanese writing system by the 5th century CE, alongside other kanji imported for official and scholarly use.