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The character 疲 evolved from ancient forms depicting illness or exhaustion. In Liushutong, L30205 shows a precursor to the modern form, combining the 'sickness' radical (疒) with components suggesting weariness. The character fundamentally means 'tired,' 'weary,' or 'exhausted,' originally referring to physical fatigue but later extending to mental exhaustion. The sickness radical indicates its connection to physical states of debilitation, while the phonetic component relates to being worn out or depleted. Arrived in Japan: The character 疲 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems (kanji) through Buddhist texts, Confucian classics, and other Chinese literature. It became established in Japanese as part of the kanji system, reading as 'tsukareru' (to be tired) or 'hi' in compounds.