Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 宿 (sù) depicts a person (亻) resting on a mat (宀 representing a roof, and 百 an old form for a mat) inside a house. Its core meaning is 'to lodge,' 'to stay overnight,' or 'an inn.' In ancient China, it symbolized a temporary dwelling, a place of rest during a journey. Over time, its meanings expanded to include concepts of 'long-standing' (as in 宿願, a long-cherished wish) and even 'constellation' (星宿), as the stars were seen as the eternal lodging places of the cosmos. The evolution from its pictographic origins in oracle bone script to its modern standardized form reflects a simplification of structure while retaining the fundamental idea of a person under a roof. Arrived in Japan: The character 宿, along with the Chinese writing system, was introduced to Japan around the 5th century AD, most likely via the Korean peninsula. It was part of the great wave of cultural and technological imports during the Kofun period that laid the foundation for the Japanese adoption of Chinese characters (Kanji).