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The character 履 originally depicted a shoe or footstep, combining elements representing leather (from animal hide) and a person walking. In ancient bronze inscriptions, it showed a foot wearing a shoe. Over time, it evolved to mean 'to tread on,' 'to perform,' or 'to fulfill,' as in carrying out duties (as if walking a path). The modern form 履 retains the 'corpse' radical (尸) representing a person and the '復' component suggesting repetition or steps, embodying both the concrete meaning of footwear and the abstract meaning of carrying out actions. Arrived in Japan: The character 履 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems, possibly through Buddhist texts and official missions to the Tang court. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as a kanji and appears in early Japanese texts like the Manyoshu (8th century) with meanings related to shoes and performing duties.