The kanji 舌 (shita) fundamentally represents the "tongue," the muscular organ in the mouth used for tasting, speaking, and swallowing. It’s the central symbol for this crucial part of the body.

・On-yomi (音読み): ⚫︎ Setsu (セツ) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ⚫︎ 舌 (shita)

⚫︎ 舌 (shita) Translation: tongue ⚫︎ 舌打ち (shitauchi) Translation: clicking one's tongue (a gesture of annoyance or disapproval) ⚫︎ 口舌 (kōzetsu) Translation: eloquent speech; the ability to speak well

The kanji 舌 is a pictograph. ⚫︎ It's a visual representation of the tongue itself. ⚫︎ The shape of the character is a simplified drawing of the tongue inside the mouth. ⚫︎ The top part of the character resembles the base of the tongue, and the bottom part resembles the tip.