Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 序 originally depicted a building with a roof (广) and elements representing order and sequence. In ancient China, it referred to the eastern and western wings of a school where students were arranged in order. Over time, it evolved to mean 'sequence,' 'order,' 'preface,' or 'introduction,' reflecting its educational and structural origins. The modern form 序 maintains the 广 radical (building) combined with 予 (to give), suggesting a place where knowledge is given in proper sequence. Arrived in Japan: The character 序 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with other Chinese characters when the Japanese writing system was being developed through contact with Chinese culture and Buddhist texts.