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The character 悟 (wù) evolved from ancient forms depicting a heart/mind (心) component combined with 吾 (wú), which means 'I' or 'self'. This combination beautifully expresses the meaning 'to awaken', 'comprehend', or 'enlightenment' - essentially the moment when something becomes clear to one's own mind. In Buddhist context, it specifically refers to spiritual awakening or satori. The Liushutong shows early variants where the structural relationship between the components was less standardized, but the core concept of mental awakening remained consistent throughout its evolution. Arrived in Japan: The character 悟 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the introduction of Chinese writing and Buddhism. It became established in Japanese as 'satoru' (to comprehend/enlighten) and was incorporated into the Japanese kanji system, gaining particular importance in Zen Buddhist terminology where 'satori' (悟り) denotes spiritual awakening.