The kanji 刺 primarily conveys the idea of "to stab," "to pierce," or "to prick." It implies a sharp object entering something, causing a puncture or wound. It can also extend to meanings related to irritation or stimulation.

・On-yomi (音読み): シ ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): さ刺す (sasu)

⚫︎ 刺身 Translation: Sashimi (raw sliced fish) ⚫︎ 注射 Translation: Injection ⚫︎ 批判に刺さる Translation: To be stung by criticism (metaphorical use)

The kanji 刺 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a character that combines a semantic component (meaning) with a phonetic component (sound). The left side is a radical called 刂 (りっとう, "knife") which implies something sharp, like a knife or blade. The right side is a phonetic component, although the origin of this component is debated. Originally the right side could have been the element 朿, which pictorially looks like a thorn. The combination of "knife" and the phonetic/semantic element suggests the action of using a sharp object to pierce or prick something. This aligns with the kanji's core meaning of "to stab" or "to pierce."