Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 鶴 (crane) evolved from ancient pictographs depicting the elegant bird with long legs and neck. In Liushutong, L27566 shows an early form with the bird radical (鳥) combined with elements suggesting its distinctive profile. Over centuries, the character simplified while retaining the crane's graceful silhouette. In Chinese culture, the crane symbolizes longevity, wisdom, and nobility, often appearing in art and poetry as a mystical creature associated with immortality. Arrived in Japan: The character 鶴 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through cultural exchange with China and Korea. It was adopted into Japanese as 'tsuru' and maintains the same meanings of crane bird, longevity, and elegance in Japanese culture.