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The character 脂 evolved from ancient pictographs representing animal fat or grease. In Liushutong, L00991 shows an early form with the radical 肉 (meat/flesh) combined with phonetic elements indicating 'fatty substance.' Originally depicting the glossy, oily fat from animals, its meaning expanded to include any greasy, oily substance. The character maintains the 'meat' radical 月 (a variant of 肉) on the left, with the right component 旨 meaning 'delicious' or 'purpose,' suggesting the desirable, flavorful quality of animal fat that was valuable in ancient times for cooking and lighting. Arrived in Japan: The character 脂 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems, possibly through Buddhist texts and official missions to the Tang court. It became incorporated into the Japanese kanji system with the same meaning of 'fat, grease, lipid,' appearing in early Japanese texts from the Nara period (710-794 CE).