Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 痛 (pain) evolved from ancient Chinese pictographs. It consists of two components: 疒 (sickness radical) and 甬 (which originally depicted a bell but here serves phonetically). The character originally meant physical pain or illness, but expanded to include emotional suffering and intensity (as in 'painfully clear'). In Liushutong, the character appears in various ancient forms showing the sickness radical combined with phonetic elements that evolved into the modern 甬 component. Arrived in Japan: The character 痛 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange. It was formally incorporated into the Japanese writing system and appears in early Japanese works like the Man'yōshū (8th century).