Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 為 (wéi/wèi) originally depicted a hand guiding an elephant (象) in oracle bone script, representing the concept of 'to do' or 'to act.' In ancient China, elephants were used for labor, so guiding an elephant symbolized taking action or creating something. Over time, the character simplified - the elephant component became stylized into the modern form while retaining the hand element at the top. The meaning expanded to include 'for,' 'because,' 'as,' and 'to become,' reflecting its versatile use in classical Chinese. Arrived in Japan: The character 為 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, primarily through the introduction of Chinese writing systems and Buddhist texts. It was adopted into Japanese as 'i' (い) in the native reading and 'wi' (ゐ) in historical kana usage, used in compounds and as a grammatical element in classical Japanese.