Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 寄 evolved from ancient pictographs showing a person leaning against or taking shelter in a house. In its modern form, it combines the roof radical (宀) meaning 'house' with 奇 meaning 'strange' or 'unusual,' creating the concept of 'to approach,' 'to draw near,' or 'to depend on.' Originally depicting physical proximity or seeking refuge, it expanded to include abstract meanings like 'entrust,' 'send,' or 'contribute,' reflecting how people or things come together for support or delivery. Arrived in Japan: The character 寄 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (around 300 BCE–300 CE) or early Kofun period, likely through the introduction of Chinese writing systems via Korean peninsula. It became incorporated into the Japanese writing system as a kanji character, used in words like 寄付 (kifu - donation) and 寄り道 (yorimichi - detour).