Humble

Level 100

How this kanji evolved

Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.

The character 遜 (simplified: 逊) originates from ancient Chinese and is composed of two parts: 孫 (grandchild, descendant) and 辶 (the 'walk' radical). In the Liushutong system, this character represents the concept of 'humble retreat' or 'yielding.' The original meaning connects to the idea of a descendant stepping back or yielding to elders, embodying Confucian values of humility and deference. Over time, 遜 evolved to mean 'modest,' 'humble,' or 'to abdicate,' reflecting the virtue of knowing when to withdraw gracefully. The character appears in classical texts describing modest behavior or royal abdications. Arrived in Japan: The character 遜 likely arrived in Japan during the early centuries of cultural exchange, possibly between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, when the Japanese writing system was developing and大量のChinese characters were imported along with Buddhist texts and Confucian classics. It became part of the Japanese kanji repertoire with the reading 'SON' or 'shizumu,' maintaining similar meanings of humility and modesty.

Reading reference

Onyomi (音読み)

ソン

Kunyomi (訓読み)

したが