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The character 切 evolved from ancient pictographs showing a knife (刀) cutting through objects. In its Liushutong form, the character more clearly depicts this cutting action. The modern meaning encompasses 'to cut,' 'to slice,' but also extends to concepts like 'urgent,' 'close,' and 'definite' - all relating to the decisive, immediate nature of a clean cut. The character combines 刀 (knife) with what was originally a phonetic component that also contributed meaning related to severing or dividing. Arrived in Japan: The character 切 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, primarily through the introduction of Chinese writing systems and Buddhist texts. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system as a kanji, where it retains the meanings of 'to cut' (as in 切る kiru) and also appears in compounds like 親切 (shinsetsu - kindness, literally 'close cut') and 大切 (taisetsu - important).