Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 月 originally depicted a crescent moon, evolving from oracle bone script where it clearly showed a lunar crescent shape. In bronze script, the form became more stylized, and by small seal script, it had transformed into the more angular shape we recognize today. 月 means 'moon' or 'month,' reflecting how ancient Chinese timekeeping was based on lunar cycles. Over time, it also came to be used in words related to time, brightness, and even body parts (like 肌膚 meaning 'skin'). Arrived in Japan: The character 月 arrived in Japan around the 5th century CE, during the period when Chinese writing was introduced to Japan through Buddhist scriptures and cultural exchange with Korea. It became part of the Japanese writing system and is read as 'tsuki' (moon) or 'getsu/gatsu' (month) in Japanese.