Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 就 evolved from ancient pictographs showing a person kneeling beside a ritual vessel or altar, combining the radical 京 (capital city/high mound) with 尤 (outstanding/special). Originally meaning 'to approach' or 'to undertake,' it developed connotations of completion and attainment - moving toward something until it is accomplished. Over centuries, it acquired meanings like 'to assume office,' 'to accomplish,' and 'just as it is,' reflecting the philosophical concept of fulfilling one's proper position in the cosmic order. Arrived in Japan: The character 就 was likely introduced to Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader Chinese writing system, initially through Korean scribes and later through direct cultural exchange with China. It appears in early Japanese documents like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (8th century), where it was used both for its meaning and in phonetic adaptations for Japanese words.