Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 陳 originally depicted an array of war chariots and soldiers in ancient military formations. Composed of 阝(left - mound/hill) and 東(east), it evolved to mean 'to display', 'to arrange', or 'to state'. In ancient China, armies would '陳' their troops in battle formations. Over time, it came to mean 'old' or 'aged' (as in 陳舊) because things that have been displayed or stored for long periods become old. The character also became a common surname in Chinese culture. Arrived in Japan: The character 陳 arrived in Japan during the Asuka period (6th-7th centuries) through the introduction of Chinese writing systems and Buddhist texts. It was adopted into Japanese as 'chin' in on'yomi reading and appears in words like 陳列 (chinretsu - display/exhibition) and 陳述 (chinjutsu - statement). As a surname, it's read as 'Chin' in Japan, though it's less common than in China.