Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 寺 originally depicted a hand (寸) over a foot (止), representing the idea of 'holding' or 'maintaining.' In ancient China, it evolved to mean a government office or administrative building where officials worked. Later, during the Han Dynasty when Buddhism spread to China, 寺 was borrowed to translate the concept of Buddhist temples, as these were places where religious teachings were 'maintained' and preserved. This dual meaning of both government office and religious temple reflects the character's interesting evolution from secular administration to spiritual institution. Arrived in Japan: The character 寺 arrived in Japan around the 5th-6th centuries CE, during the period when Chinese writing and Buddhism were introduced to Japan via Korea. It was part of the wave of Chinese cultural influence that included writing, Buddhism, and governmental systems. The character maintained its Buddhist temple meaning in Japan, where it's commonly used in temple names like Kinkaku-ji (金閣寺) and Tōdai-ji (東大寺).