君子
jūnzǐ · HSK 7
gentleman
🎩 君 (lord, noble) + 子 (person, master) = a noble person, a gentleman
君 means lord or sovereign and 子 is an honorific for a respected man, the same 子 in 孔子 (Confucius). Together they name someone whose rank is moral, not just social: a person of noble character.
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.