Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
Historical forms are not available yet. The current form is shown as a reference.
The kanji "蔵" (蔵, くら) is a phono-semantic compound character, classified as a *keisei moji* in the traditional *rikusho* classification system. Its modern form 蔵 is a simplification of the earlier and more complex character "藏". The character is composed of two primary elements: the "grass" or "plant" radical (艹, くさかんむり) at the top and the phonetic component "臧" (zāng/zàng) underneath, which itself is a compound meaning "good" or "hidden". The original core meaning was to hide or store away grains or valuable items, which is why the grass radical, often associated with growing plants and by extension harvested crops, was used. The component "臧" provides both the approximate sound (*zang* in Middle Chinese, which evolved into *zō* in Sino-Japanese) and contributes to the meaning of "concealment". Historically, the character evolved from its earliest forms found on bronze inscriptions and seal scripts. The seal script form clearly shows the grass radical above the full "臧" component. Over time, through the process of clerical script (隷書, *reisho*) and later standard script (楷書, *kaisho*), the structure was simplified for easier writing, leading to the modern form 蔵. The original character 藏 depicted the concept of storing harvested grain in a hidden or protected place, making it an ideographic expression for a storehouse or repository, both in a physical and abstract sense (e.g., storing knowledge). The character, along with the vast majority of the Japanese writing system, was imported from China, likely between the 5th and 6th centuries CE. It arrived as part of the cultural wave that brought Buddhism, Confucian texts, and Chinese administrative practices to Japan. The Japanese adopted the character's meaning ("storehouse") and its Sino-Japanese readings, such as *ゾウ (zō)*, while also applying it to the native Japanese word *kura* (倉/蔵), which already meant "storehouse". An interesting linguistic note is the nuance between two similar kanji for storehouse: "倉" typically refers to a warehouse for grains and raw materials, while "蔵" often implies a storehouse for more valuable or finished goods, such as sake or treasures, and is also used in the legal term for a corporation (株式会社, *kabushiki-gaisha*). This reflects the character's etymological roots in concealing and protecting items of value.