Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 扇 originally depicted a door (戶) with wings (羽), symbolizing a door that swings open and shut like wings flapping. This evolved to mean 'fan' - an object that moves air back and forth. The character carries dual meanings: both the noun 'fan' and the verb 'to fan' or 'to flap'. Over time, the character simplified while retaining the essential elements of door and wings, reflecting how fans were historically used for both ventilation and ceremonial purposes in ancient China. Arrived in Japan: The character 扇 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) or early Kofun period (300-538 CE) through cultural exchange with China, likely alongside other Chinese characters and cultural artifacts. It became established in the Japanese writing system as kanji and is used in words like 扇子 (sensu - folding fan) and 扇風機 (senpūki - electric fan).