Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
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The character 跡 evolved from ancient pictographs representing footprints or tracks. In Liushutong, L28226 shows an early form depicting a foot (足) leaving a mark, combined with elements suggesting movement or path. Originally meaning 'footprints' or 'traces,' it expanded to signify 'remains,' 'evidence,' or 'legacy.' The modern form 跡 retains the 'foot' radical (⻊) on the left, emphasizing its connection to footsteps and tracks left behind. Arrived in Japan: The character 跡 arrived in Japan during the early cultural exchanges with China, likely between the 5th and 7th centuries CE, when the Japanese writing system incorporated Chinese characters (kanji) along with Buddhism and other cultural elements.