Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 足 originally depicted a complete human leg, including the foot, in oracle bone script. Over time, it evolved to emphasize the foot itself, representing the concepts of 'foot,' 'leg,' and 'to be sufficient.' The character's meaning expanded from the physical limb to abstract ideas of adequacy and fulfillment, as having enough to stand on symbolizes sufficiency. This dual meaning persists in modern Chinese and Japanese. Arrived in Japan: The character 足 arrived in Japan around the 5th century CE, during the period when Chinese writing system was introduced to Japan through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange with Korea. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as both a kanji and a radical in many compound characters.