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The character 降 depicts a hill or mound (阝, the left radical meaning 'mound' or 'hill') with two feet descending downward (夅, the right component). This composition visually represents the concept of 'descending' or 'coming down.' In ancient oracle bone and bronze inscriptions, the character clearly showed footsteps moving downward along a slope. Over time, the form simplified and standardized into the modern 降, retaining its core meaning of descent, submission, or reduction. The character can mean both literal physical descent (as in降落 - landing) and metaphorical lowering (as in降价 - price reduction). Arrived in Japan: The character 降 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (around 300 BCE to 300 CE) through the introduction of Chinese writing systems, likely via Korean peninsula. It became firmly established in Japanese writing by the Nara period (710-794 CE) when systematic adoption of Chinese characters occurred. In Japanese, it's read as 'kō' (こう) in on'yomi (Chinese reading) and 'fu.ru' (ふる) or 'o.riru' (おりる) in kun'yomi (Japanese reading), maintaining similar meanings of descent or falling.