Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 皆 originally depicted two men (匕) standing side by side above a mouth (口), representing a group of people speaking in unison. Over time, it evolved to mean 'all' or 'everyone' through the concept of collective agreement. The modern form 皆 shows the characters for 'compare' (比) above 'white' (白), though this is a later simplification. The core meaning of 'all' or 'together' has remained consistent throughout its evolution from oracle bone script to modern kanji. Arrived in Japan: The character 皆 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, when the Japanese writing system was being developed and Chinese characters were systematically imported along with Buddhism and other elements of Chinese culture. It appears in early Japanese texts like the Manyoshu (8th century) and was incorporated into the Japanese writing system during the Nara period.