Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 頭 (head) evolved from ancient pictographs depicting the head of a person or animal. In oracle bone script, it often showed a head with prominent eyes or facial features. Over time, it developed into its current form combining 豆 (bean, originally representing a vessel or stand) and 頁 (page, but originally depicting a kneeling person with an emphasized head). The character fundamentally means 'head' but extends to meanings like 'top,' 'beginning,' 'leader,' and as a counter for animals. Arrived in Japan: The character 頭 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, introduced alongside the Chinese writing system through cultural exchange with Korean peninsula intermediaries and Chinese scholars. It became established in the Japanese writing system during the Asuka and Nara periods as part of the broader adoption of Chinese characters (kanji) for writing Japanese.