The kanji 脂 (shi) primarily represents "fat" or "grease." It refers to the oily or fatty substance found in animals and plants. This includes both visible fat and the more general concept of lipids.

・On-yomi (音読み): シ (shi) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): あぶら (abura)

⚫︎脂肪 Translation: Fat; Body fat. ⚫︎油脂 Translation: Fats and oils. ⚫︎脂っこい料理 Translation: Oily food.

The kanji 脂 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). It combines the radical 月 (にくづき - "meat" or "flesh," also appearing as "side of the body") with the phonetic component 旨 (shi - "delicious" or "flavor"). The combination suggests the fatty, flavorful quality associated with meat and fat. The radical provides the semantic element of "flesh" or "body," while the phonetic component 旨 hints at the pronunciation and subtly suggests the pleasant taste associated with fats. The historical development shows how the character evolved to encapsulate the essence of fat and related substances.