Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 寒 (hán) depicts 'cold' in ancient Chinese. Its earliest oracle bone script showed a person (人) curled inside a house (宀) with straw (茻) on the floor to keep warm, surrounded by ice (冫) below. Over centuries, the components simplified: the person and straw merged into the modern middle section, while the roof (宀) remained above and ice (冫) below. This elegant composition captures the essence of winter - taking shelter from the freezing cold. The character fundamentally means cold, chilly, or winter, and extends to concepts like poverty (寒微) and shivering (寒颤). Arrived in Japan: The character 寒 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system, possibly through Korean scholars or directly from Chinese Buddhist texts. It was formally incorporated into the Japanese writing system during the Asuka and Nara periods (6th-8th centuries) when Japan systematically adopted Chinese characters (kanji) for official documents and literary works.