Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 子 originally depicted a baby with a large head and outstretched arms, as seen in oracle bone script from the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE). Over time, it evolved through bronze script, seal script, and clerical script into the modern simplified form. The character carries multiple meanings including 'child,' 'offspring,' 'seed,' and was also used as an honorific title for philosophers like Confucius (孔子). In Chinese philosophy, it represents the beginning of life and continuity of generations. Arrived in Japan: The character 子 arrived in Japan during the 5th century CE, likely through the Korean peninsula along with other Chinese characters and Buddhist texts. It was formally adopted into the Japanese writing system during the Nara period (710-794 CE) and appears in early Japanese texts like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (759 CE).