Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 貞 (zhēn) originated from oracle bone script as a pictograph of a bronze ritual vessel called a 'ding.' Over time, it evolved to mean 'divine,' 'virtuous,' or 'chaste' because such vessels were used in sacred ceremonies. In the Liushutong, L10989 shows an early form with the '卜' (divination) radical combined with the '鼎' (tripod cauldron) element, reflecting its connection to ritual purity and divination. The modern form 貞 simplifies the '鼎' component to '貝' (shell), but retains the core meaning of integrity and steadfastness. Arrived in Japan: The character 貞 arrived in Japan around the 5th-6th centuries CE, during the period when Chinese writing and Buddhism were introduced to Japan via Korea. It was adopted into Japanese as 'tei' or 'sada' in readings, used in words like 貞操 (teisō - chastity) and 貞淑 (teishuku - virtuous).