Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 申 originally depicted lightning or lightning bolts zigzagging across the sky, as seen in its earliest oracle bone script forms. It represented the concept of 'extending' or 'stretching,' much like how lightning extends across the heavens. Over time, it evolved to mean 'to state' or 'to explain' - extending one's thoughts through words. In the Chinese traditional calendar, it became the ninth Earthly Branch, representing the hours 3-5 PM and the monkey in the zodiac. The character's form simplified from its lightning-like zigzags to the more rectangular modern form while maintaining the central vertical line that suggests connection between heaven and earth. Arrived in Japan: The character 申 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system through Buddhist texts, official documents, and cultural exchanges. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as both a kanji and part of the traditional calendar system, maintaining its core meanings related to stating, explaining, and its use in time designation.