Pictograph of a person performing a rain dance with ox tails or bird feathers hanging from his arms, conveying the meaning "dance". Original form of 舞 (dance). The current form is a phonetic loan.
Character Evolution
Oracle Bone~1250-1000 BCOracle Bone~1250-1000 BCOracle Bone~1250-1000 BCBronzeLate Shang~1100 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeLate Western Zhou~800 BCBronzeSpring and Autumn771-476 BCBronzeLate Spring and Autumn~500 BCBronzeLate Spring and Autumn~500 BCBronzeEarly Warring States~400 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealWarring States (Chu)475-221 BCSealQin221-206 BCSealShuowen~100 ADClericalQin221-206 BCClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADClericalWestern Han202 BC-9 ADClericalEastern Han25-220 ADRegularModern
