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The character 昔 originally depicted 'dried meat under the sun' (𠦃 over 日), but evolved to mean 'long ago' or 'ancient times.' In oracle bone script, it showed layers of suns or waves (representing days piling up), symbolizing the accumulation of time. The modern form 昔 combines 日 (sun/day) with a modified element above, preserving the concept of many days passing. It carries meanings of 'former times,' 'past,' and sometimes 'evening' in classical texts. Arrived in Japan: The character 昔 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, when the Chinese writing system was systematically imported along with Buddhism and Confucian texts. It appears in early Japanese works like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (8th century), used in compounds such as 昔日 (sekijitsu, 'bygone days') and 昔話 (mukashibanashi, 'folktale').