Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 親 (qīn) evolved from ancient pictographs showing a person standing by a tree, looking intently. The modern form combines 見 (to see) with 辛 (bitter) or 立 (stand) variants, though the standard form uses 見 under 亲. Originally meaning 'to see closely' or 'to visit', it developed to mean 'parent' (one who watches closely), 'intimate', 'relatives', and 'to personally engage'. The core concept revolves around close observation and familial connection. Arrived in Japan: The character 親 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Korean scholars and Buddhist texts. It was formally adopted into Japanese as 'oya' (parent) and 'shin' (close relation) during the systematization of writing in the Nara period (710-794 CE).