Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 来 (lái) originally depicted a wheat plant in ancient oracle bone script, representing 'wheat' or 'grain.' Over time, its meaning shifted through bronze script and seal script to represent 'to come' or 'to arrive,' as grain was something that 'came' from the fields during harvest. This semantic evolution from a concrete noun to a verb of movement is a fascinating example of how Chinese characters transformed. The modern kanji 来 retains the plant-like elements at the top while simplifying the overall structure. Arrived in Japan: The character 来 was likely introduced to Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader adoption of Chinese writing systems, either directly from China or via the Korean peninsula. It became part of the Japanese writing system and is used in both its original meaning and as part of many compound words.