騰

Inflation

Level 84

How this kanji evolved

Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.

The character 騰 has evolved from ancient forms depicting a horse rising or prancing upward, combining the horse radical (馬) with the component 朕 (which originally represented 'to rise' or 'to leap'). In Liushutong, L11507 shows an early seal script form where the horse's dynamic movement is emphasized. Over time, 騰 came to mean 'to rise', 'to leap', 'to prance', or 'to gallop', extending metaphorically to concepts of ascending, soaring, or flourishing. The character embodies the powerful upward motion of a horse, capturing both physical elevation and abstract notions of advancement and prosperity. Arrived in Japan: The character 騰 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE as part of the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Buddhist texts, Confucian classics, and official documents brought by Korean scholars and Japanese envoys to China. It became established in the Japanese writing system during the Asuka and Nara periods when Japan systematically adopted Chinese characters.

Reading reference

Onyomi (音読み)

トウ

Kunyomi (訓読み)

あがのぼ

Related Vocabulary

急騰
sudden rise (in price), sharp rise, jump, surge
高騰
sharp rise (in prices), steep rise, substantial increase, soaring
沸騰
boiling, seething, becoming heated (e.g. of a debate), excitement, agitation, fermentation, soaring (of prices), shooting up
暴騰
sudden rise, sharp rise, boom, skyrocketing