儿子
érzi · HSK 1
son
👦 儿子 = child (儿) + suffix (子) → son
儿 alone means child/offspring; 子 is a common noun suffix (also meaning child). Stacked together they specifically denote a male offspring — son. Compare 女儿 (daughter), where 女 (female) replaces the male reading.
子 — pictograph of a baby/child with arms out
子 began as a pictograph of a swaddled infant with a large head and outstretched arms, originally meaning 'baby' or 'child.' From there it broadened to 'son,' 'offspring,' and a respectful suffix for masters like 孔子 (Confucius). It also became one of the twelve earthly branches.