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The character 未 originally depicted a tree with luxuriant branches and leaves, representing 'not yet' or the future. In oracle bone script, it showed a tree with abundant upper branches, symbolizing something growing but not yet mature. This evolved through bronze script where the branches became more stylized, to seal script where the form standardized into the modern shape. The character carries meanings of 'not yet,' 'future,' and is also used in the Chinese zodiac for the Sheep/Ram (eighth earthly branch). Arrived in Japan: The character 未 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange. It was adopted into Japanese as part of the kanji system, retaining both its meaning of 'not yet' (mi, imada) and its use in the zodiac system.