Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 死 (death) is one of the oldest Chinese characters, appearing on oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). Its earliest form depicted a kneeling figure mourning beside bones or a skeleton. The character evolved through bronze inscriptions and seal scripts, gradually simplifying into its modern form. Structurally, it belongs to the 'huiyi' (会意) category of Liushutong, combining 歹 (bones) and 匕 (person), representing the concept of a person reduced to bones - the ultimate fate of death. Throughout Chinese history, this character has maintained its core meaning while becoming more stylized in regular script. Arrived in Japan: The character 死 was introduced to 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 century CE, particularly through Buddhist texts and Confucian classics that extensively discussed mortality and the afterlife.