柳

Glyph origin
in oracle bone script and bronze inscriptions.

Later  in small seal script.

The glyph finally turned back to +  in the current form.

Etymology
reconstructs *[m-]ruʔ, with volitional or agentic prefix *m- (see ) and root verb "to flow", resulting in *m-ruu "(cause to flow >) pour out, empty". If unprefixed, 柳 means "the flowing one"; if prefixed, "the pouring one". Recall.

Definitions

 * 1) willow, a member of the genus
 * 2)  fillet

Etymology 3
→

Ultimately from. While the affix is cited in the 700s with this reading, the proper noun is first cited to a text from the mid-1400s.

Affix

 * 1)  willow, especially weeping willow
 * 2)  thin as a willow leaf

Proper noun

 * 1)   the Willow as one of the twenty-eight mansions