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The character 酸 (suān) originally depicted the concept of 'sour' or 'acidic.' Its composition combines 酉 (wine vessel/alcohol radical) with 夋 (which contributes both sound and meaning related to sharpness). In ancient China, it was used to describe the sour taste of vinegar and spoiled wine, later extending to chemical acids and the feeling of heartache or bitterness. The character evolved from bronze script to clerical script, maintaining its core semantic elements while becoming more stylized over time. Arrived in Japan: The character 酸 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing system (kanji) through Buddhist texts and cultural exchange. It was formally adopted into the Japanese writing system and appears in early Japanese texts like the Manyōshū (8th century), where it was used both for its meaning of 'sour' and in compound words.