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 話 (huà/wa) evolved from ancient forms depicting 'words coming from the mouth.' In Liushutong, L23846 shows an early seal script form with 言 (speech) and 舌 (tongue) components, representing 'speech' or 'conversation.' Over time, the character simplified to the modern 話, where 言 remains the semantic element meaning 'language' or 'words,' while 舌 evolved into a phonetic component. The character carries meanings of 'talk,' 'speech,' 'story,' and 'conversation,' reflecting its fundamental connection to human communication through spoken language. Arrived in Japan: The character 話 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE as part of the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems (kanji) through Buddhist texts, Confucian classics, and governmental documents. It was incorporated into the Japanese language with both on'yomi readings (derived from Chinese, like 'wa') and kun'yomi readings (native Japanese, like 'hanashi').