Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 回 (huí) originally depicted a spiral or whirlpool shape in oracle bone script, representing the concept of 'revolving' or 'returning.' Over centuries, it evolved through bronze script and seal script forms that maintained this circular, rotating motif before standardizing into the modern squared form. The character carries core meanings of 'to return,' 'to revolve,' 'to answer,' and 'a time/occasion,' reflecting its fundamental concept of cyclical movement. Arrived in Japan: The character 回 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, as part of the broader introduction of Chinese writing (kanji) to Japan through Buddhist texts, official documents, and cultural exchange with China and Korea. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as a kanji character, retaining similar meanings related to returning and repetition.