The kanji 皮 represents "skin," "hide," or "peel." It refers to the outer covering of something, whether it be an animal, a fruit, or even a surface. The core idea is of an exterior layer that protects or defines the boundary of an object.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヒ (hi) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): かわ (kawa)

⚫︎皮膚 (ひふ) Translation: skin ⚫︎皮をむく (かわをむく) Translation: to peel (something) ⚫︎革製品 (かくせいひん) Translation: leather products

The kanji 皮 is a pictograph. It depicts the image of a hand 又 (mata) holding and peeling back a hide or skin 卩 (fuushi). Over time, the form of 又 evolved to the present shape, while 卩 remains relatively the same, retaining the meaning of "skin" or "hide." The character visually represents the act of removing the outer layer, solidifying its meaning.