Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 遣 (qiǎn) originated in ancient China, composed of 辵 (chuò, 'to walk/move') and 臾 (yú, originally depicting two hands). Its core meaning is 'to send,' 'to dispatch,' or 'to assign.' The structure symbolizes sending someone on a journey or mission. Over time, the character evolved through various script forms—from oracle bone script to bronze inscriptions, seal script, clerical script, and finally the modern regular script—with its components gradually standardizing into the recognizable form today. In addition to its primary meaning, 遣 also extends to concepts like 'expelling' (as in 遣散, 'to dismiss') or 'dispelling' emotions (as in 遣怀, 'to express feelings'). Arrived in Japan: The character 遣 arrived in Japan during the early cultural exchanges, likely between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, as part of the introduction of Chinese writing and Buddhism. It became integrated into the Japanese writing system and is used in compounds such as 遣唐使 (kentōshi, 'Japanese envoys to Tang China'), reflecting its historical role in diplomatic missions.