Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
Historical forms are not available yet. The current form is shown as a reference.
The character 池 (chí) originally depicted a body of water in ancient Chinese oracle bone script. Its earliest forms showed water flowing or contained within boundaries. The character evolved through bronze script to the modern form, combining the water radical (氵) with the component 也, which may have originally represented a pool or pond shape. Throughout Chinese history, 池 has consistently meant 'pool,' 'pond,' or 'moat,' reflecting artificial or natural bodies of water. The character exemplifies how Chinese writing evolved from pictographic representations to more stylized forms while retaining its core meaning. Arrived in Japan: The character 池 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems to Japan. It was adopted into Japanese as 'ike' (meaning pond) in native readings and 'chi' in Sino-Japanese readings, becoming part of the Japanese writing system during the Asuka and Nara periods when Chinese cultural influence was particularly strong.