Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 芽 (méi/yá) meaning 'bud' or 'sprout' evolved from ancient pictographs showing plants emerging from the earth. In Liushutong, L08848 shows the precursor to modern 芽, combining 艹 (grass/plants radical) with 牙 (tooth), creating the poetic concept of a plant 'biting' through the soil as it sprouts. This character beautifully captures the moment of new growth emerging from darkness into light. Arrived in Japan: The character 芽 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE-300 CE) or early Kofun period (300-538 CE) through cultural exchange with China, likely brought via Korean peninsula. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as kanji during the systematic adoption of Chinese characters that began around the 5th century CE.