Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 民 originally depicted an eye being pierced by a sharp instrument, symbolizing blinding as punishment for slaves or captives in ancient China. Over time, it evolved to mean 'the people' or 'commoners' - those who were subjugated or ruled. The modern form 民 shows the abstraction of this concept, representing the masses or citizens of a nation. From its brutal origins, it transformed into a fundamental term for population and democracy. Arrived in Japan: The character 民 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Korean scholars and Buddhist texts. It was formally incorporated into the Japanese writing system and appears in early Japanese texts like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Nihon Shoki (720 CE).