Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 取 evolved from ancient pictographs showing a hand (又) grasping an ear (耳). In ancient China, this represented the practice of cutting off enemies' ears as war trophies to count casualties and claim rewards. Over time, its meaning expanded to represent the general concept of 'taking' or 'acquiring' something. The character demonstrates how Chinese writing evolved from concrete physical actions to abstract concepts. Arrived in Japan: The character 取 arrived in Japan around the 5th-6th centuries CE during the period when Chinese writing system was introduced to Japan through cultural exchange with Korea and China, primarily via Buddhist texts and diplomatic missions.