Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 呂 originally depicted two connected vertebrae or spinal bones, representing the spine itself. In ancient oracle bone script, it appeared as two connected squares or rectangles, symbolizing vertebrae linked together. Over time, it evolved to mean 'spine' or 'backbone' and later took on the meaning of 'musical pitch' in ancient Chinese music theory, where it referred to one of the twelve pitch standards. The character also came to be used as a surname. The modern Japanese form 呂 retains the same essential structure as the classical Chinese character. Arrived in Japan: The character 呂 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Korean scribes and Chinese classics. It appears in early Japanese texts like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE), where it was used both for its meaning and as part of the Japanese writing system.