Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 江 originally depicted a watercourse or large river, composed of 水 (water) and 工 (work). In ancient China, it referred to major rivers like the Yangtze River (长江), where '江' specifically meant the Yangtze while '河' meant the Yellow River. Over time, it evolved to mean any large river or inlet. The character's form stabilized during the clerical script period of the Han dynasty, with the water radical on the left and 工 on the right becoming standardized. Arrived in Japan: The character 江 was likely introduced to Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with other Chinese characters through cultural exchange with China and Korea, particularly during the period when Buddhism and Chinese writing systems were systematically imported to Japan.