Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 雨 (yǔ) originally depicted rain falling from clouds in ancient oracle bone script. In its earliest forms, it showed a horizontal line representing the sky with droplets or streams of rain descending below. Over time, the character evolved through bronze script and seal script into its modern standardized form. The top horizontal line represents the sky or heavens, while the dots and strokes below symbolize raindrops. In Chinese philosophy, rain was seen as a blessing from heaven, essential for agriculture and life. The character appears in many compound words related to weather and natural phenomena. Arrived in Japan: The character 雨 arrived in Japan around the 5th-6th centuries CE during the period when Chinese writing system was introduced to Japan through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as a kanji character, pronounced as 'ame' or 'u' in Japanese, and became part of many compound words and place names.