Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 勇 (yǒng) meaning 'courage' or 'bravery' has an interesting evolution. In its earliest forms, it combined 甬 (which originally depicted a bell and represented sound) with 力 (strength/force) or sometimes 戈 (weapon). The bronze script versions show variations where the 'strength' component is emphasized. By the small seal script period, the character stabilized into the form we recognize today - 甬 representing both sound and possibly the concept of 'channeling' combined with 力 (strength), suggesting 'channeling one's strength' or 'courage that comes from within.' The character embodies the concept of inner fortitude and the strength to face danger or difficulty. Arrived in Japan: The character 勇 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Buddhist texts, Confucian classics, and other Chinese literature. It was formally adopted into the Japanese writing system and appears in early Japanese texts like the Manyōshū (8th century), though the exact earliest attestation in Japan is uncertain.