Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 並 (modern form meaning 'line up', 'arrange', 'and', 'also') evolved from ancient pictographs showing two people standing side by side. In oracle bone script, it depicted two figures standing together, representing the concept of 'standing side by side' or 'arranging together'. Over time, the form simplified through bronze script and seal script periods, with the two figures becoming more stylized until reaching the modern form. The character carries meanings of arrangement, simultaneity, and inclusion, reflecting its origin of people standing together in unity. Arrived in Japan: The character 並 was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) through cultural exchange with China, but became systematically established during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) when the Japanese writing system formally adopted Chinese characters, along with Buddhism and other elements of Chinese culture.