凳子
dèng zi · HSK 7
stool
🪑 DENG sounds like dunk — you dunk yourself down onto a stool
凳 (dèng) breaks down: the top radical 登 means to climb or step up, while the bottom 几 is a small table or bench. So its a step-up bench — exactly what a stool is.
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.