Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 水 (water) is one of the oldest Chinese characters, dating back to oracle bone script. In its earliest forms, it depicted flowing water with a central line representing the main current and smaller lines on both sides showing ripples or waves. Over time, this pictographic representation evolved through bronze script and seal script into the modern kanji 水. The character not only represents physical water but also carries meanings of fluidity, purity, and the flow of life in Chinese philosophy. Arrived in Japan: The character 水 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, when Chinese writing systems were introduced to Japan through cultural exchange with China and the Korean peninsula. It was adopted as part of the kanji system and appears in some of Japan's oldest written records, including the Kojiki (712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE).