Bow

It names a bow, archery, or a curved form. In Mandarin Chinese, 弓 is read gōng; in Japanese, it can be read ゆみ (yumi) as a word or キュウ (kyū) in compounds. The language and neighboring words set the reading.

Its written history is an evolution, not a one-person invention. In oracle-bone and early bronze inscriptions, the graph shows a bow with its string; later forms keep the curved body but omit the string. The bow served hunting and warfare; by the Western Zhou, ritual archery also taught rank, education, and self-cultivation.

Related Chinese words carry the image further: 引 adds a mark for drawing the bow, 弓弦 names the bowstring, and 弧 extends the bow-to-curve sense. In Japanese, 弓道 (kyūdō) is archery practiced as a discipline.

Why does 弓 look different?

The character is shared; the font supplies the regional shape. As of 2026, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean fonts can draw one Han character in local styles. A changed curve or stroke weight is a rendering choice, not a different character; match the font to the surrounding language when local styling matters.