Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 友 (yǒu) originally depicted two right hands side by side (𠂇又), symbolizing friendship and companionship. In ancient oracle bone script, it showed two hands reaching in the same direction, representing cooperation and mutual assistance. The character evolved through bronze script to clerical script, maintaining the fundamental meaning of 'friend' or 'friendship.' The two hands working together conveyed the idea that friends support each other and share common goals. Arrived in Japan: The character 友 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) or early Kofun period (300-538 CE) through cultural exchange with China, likely brought by scholars and immigrants who introduced Chinese writing and Confucian classics. It was systematically adopted during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) when Japan established official relations with China and began importing Chinese texts and writing systems.