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 花 (flower) evolved from ancient pictographs depicting plants with blooming flowers. In its earliest forms, it showed a plant with flowers or blossoms. The character later became associated with 華 (magnificence, splendor) as flowers represent nature's beauty. The modern form combines the grass radical (艹) with 化 (change/transform), poetically reflecting how flowers represent the transformation of buds into beautiful blossoms. Throughout Chinese history, 花 has symbolized beauty, transience, and the flourishing of life. Arrived in Japan: The character 花 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through cultural exchange with China, primarily via Korean peninsula. It was formally adopted into Japanese writing during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) and appears in early Japanese texts like the Man'yōshū poetry collection.