Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 減 evolved from ancient pictographs representing water diminishing or decreasing. In Liushutong, L33884 shows an early form with water (氵/水) combined with an element indicating reduction or removal. This reflects its core meaning of 'decrease,' 'reduce,' or 'diminish.' Over centuries, the character simplified and standardized into modern 減, maintaining its fundamental association with water levels dropping or quantities lessening, both literally and metaphorically. Arrived in Japan: The character 減 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, when the Japanese writing system was developing and adopting Chinese characters (kanji) along with Buddhism and other cultural elements from China via Korea. It became part of the standard Japanese kanji repertoire used in official documents, literature, and daily communication.