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The character 透 (tòu) evolved from ancient Chinese pictographs and ideographs. It combines the radical 辶 (chuò), meaning 'to walk' or 'movement,' with 秀 (xiù), meaning 'elegant' or 'to flower.' Originally, 透 conveyed the idea of something passing through or penetrating elegantly, like light through leaves or water through cloth. Over time, its meaning solidified around concepts of transparency, penetration, and thoroughness - to see through, to understand deeply, or to permeate completely. Arrived in Japan: The character 透 likely arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE along with the broader introduction of Chinese writing systems, either directly from China or via the Korean peninsula. It became established in Japanese as kanji with the readings 'tō' (on'yomi) and 'su(ku)' (kun'yomi), used in words like 透明 (tōmei - transparent) and 透き (suki - gap/opening).