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The character 殺 (kill) evolved from ancient pictographs depicting violent actions. In oracle bone script, it showed a man being struck by a weapon. By the bronze script era, it incorporated 殳 (a hand holding a weapon) and 朮 (possibly representing the victim). The character solidified during the small seal script period with its current components: 殳 (weapon) combined with other elements suggesting destruction. Throughout Chinese history, 殺 has maintained its core meaning of killing, slaughter, or violent death, but also extended to meanings like 'to fight,' 'to weaken,' or 'to reduce intensity' as in 殺菌 (sterilize) or 殺到 (rush in). Arrived in Japan: The character 殺 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, primarily through the introduction of Chinese writing systems via Korean peninsula. It appears in early Japanese documents like the 8th century Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and was incorporated into the Manyōgana system. The character maintained both its literal meaning of killing and its extended meanings in Japanese, appearing in compounds like 殺人 (satsujin - murder) and 殺害 (satsugai - killing).