Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 桃 (táo) meaning 'peach' has evolved significantly over time. In ancient Liushutong forms like L08309, the character showed a clearer pictorial representation of a peach tree with fruit. The character follows the standard phonetic-semantic compound structure with 木 (tree) as the radical indicating its botanical nature, and 兆 as the phonetic component suggesting pronunciation. In oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions, the character depicted a tree with round fruits hanging from branches. Over centuries, the form simplified and standardized into the modern 桃, maintaining its core meaning while becoming more stylized for writing efficiency. The peach holds important cultural significance in Chinese tradition, symbolizing longevity and immortality. Arrived in Japan: The character 桃 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) through cultural exchange with China, but became systematically established with the introduction of Chinese writing systems in the 5th-6th centuries CE, particularly through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange during the Asuka and Nara periods.