Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 高 depicts a tall, multi-story tower or pavilion, representing the concept of 'high' or 'tall.' Its oracle bone script form shows a structure with elevated foundations and multiple stories. Over time, the character evolved through bronze script, seal script, and clerical script, gradually simplifying while retaining its essential tower-like shape. In ancient China, tall structures symbolized status and authority, making 高 an important character for describing both physical height and social elevation. Arrived in Japan: The character 高 was introduced to Japan during the Yayoi period (approximately 300 BCE-300 CE) through cultural exchange with China, but became systematically established during the Asuka period (538-710 CE) when Japan adopted Chinese writing systems and Buddhist texts. It appears in early Japanese documents like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (759 CE).