Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 違 evolved from ancient forms depicting movement and divergence. Its components combine 韋 (surround, go around) with 辵/辶 (movement), originally meaning 'to separate,' 'to deviate,' or 'to go against.' Over time, it developed meanings related to violation, difference, and disobedience, reflecting the concept of moving away from an expected path or standard. Arrived in Japan: The character 違 likely arrived in Japan during the early centuries CE, around the 5th-6th centuries, when the Japanese writing system was being developed and Chinese characters (kanji) were systematically adopted through cultural exchange with China and the Korean peninsula.