Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 昼 (昼) originally depicted the sun 日 measuring time with a brush or line 聿, later evolving to show the sun above the horizon 旦 with a measuring stroke. In its modern form, it represents 'daytime' or 'noon' - the period when the sun is visible and measuring the day. The character beautifully captures the concept of daylight hours through this pictorial evolution from ancient measuring devices to the simple sun-above-horizon imagery. Arrived in Japan: The character 昼 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) or early Kofun period (300-538 CE) through cultural exchange with China, likely via the Korean peninsula. It was systematically introduced along with other Chinese characters during the 5th-6th centuries when Chinese writing and Buddhism were formally adopted by the Japanese court.