Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 枕 (zhěn) depicts a wooden object used for resting the head during sleep - a pillow. Its earliest forms in oracle bone and bronze scripts show a person leaning against a tree or wooden object, clearly illustrating the concept of using something to support the head while reclining. The character later evolved to its current form with the wood radical (木) on the left, indicating the material commonly used for pillows, and the phonetic component 冘 on the right. Beyond the physical object, 枕 carries metaphorical meanings of proximity and reliance, as seen in words like 枕边 (pillow side) referring to intimate matters. Arrived in Japan: The character 枕 was likely introduced to Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader adoption of Chinese writing systems. It appears in early Japanese texts like the Man'yōshū (8th century) where it was used both for its meaning and as part of place names. The Japanese reading 'makura' reflects the native Japanese word for pillow that was matched with this Chinese character.