Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 好 is composed of 女 (woman) and 子 (child), depicting a mother holding her child. This represents the concept of 'goodness' and 'affection' originating from the natural bond between mother and child. In ancient oracle bone script, it showed a woman with a child, evolving through bronze script and seal script to the modern form. The character carries meanings of liking, loving, and excellence, reflecting how maternal love was viewed as the fundamental form of human affection in ancient Chinese philosophy. Arrived in Japan: The character 好 was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) through cultural exchange with China, and was systematically imported along with other Chinese characters during the 5th century CE when Japanese scholars began studying Chinese texts. It became firmly established in the Japanese writing system by the Nara period (710-794 CE).