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The character 敢 (gǎn) originally depicted a hand holding a hunting tool or weapon, symbolizing 'daring' or 'courage.' In its earliest forms in oracle bone and bronze scripts, it showed a hand gripping a tool, sometimes with an added element representing a wild boar or prey, emphasizing the bravery needed for hunting. Over time, the structure simplified into the modern form 敢, combining 攵 (a hand holding a stick) and 耳 (ear), though the ear component may be a phonetic or symbolic alteration. The character's core meaning evolved from 'bold action in hunting' to general 'bravery,' 'daring,' or 'audacity,' and it is also used in words like 勇敢 (yǒnggǎn, brave) and 敢做敢当 (dare to act and take responsibility). Arrived in Japan: The character 敢 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th to 6th centuries CE, alongside the introduction of Chinese writing systems (kanji) through cultural exchanges, such as diplomatic missions and Buddhist texts. It was adopted into Japanese as 敢 (kan), meaning 'daring' or 'bold,' and is used in compounds like 敢えて (aete, deliberately) and 勇敢 (yūkan, bravery).