Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 伏 evolved from ancient pictographs depicting a person (人/亻) crouching beside a dog (犬), representing the meaning 'to lie prostrate' or 'to hide.' In bronze inscriptions, the composition showed a clear human figure bending over next to a canine. By the small seal script period, the components standardized into the recognizable 亻 and 犬 combination. The character carries connotations of submission, concealment, and humility - as both humans and animals lower themselves physically. This evolved into extended meanings like 'ambush' (埋伏) and 'submit' (屈服), reflecting the original posture of bowing down. Arrived in Japan: The character 伏 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems, possibly through Korean scholars or direct Chinese cultural missions. It appears in early Japanese texts like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (8th century), indicating it was well-established in the Japanese writing system by the Nara period.