子女
zǐnǔ · HSK 3
children
👦👧 子女 = 子 (child/son) + 女 (woman/daughter) = offspring of both sexes
Literal compound: 子 covers sons (and is the generic 'child' radical), 女 means woman/daughter. Together they cover all one's children. Common in formal contexts like census forms or legal documents about dependents.
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.
女 — pictograph of a kneeling woman
女 is a pictograph originating in oracle bone script, depicting a person kneeling with arms crossed in front, a posture associated with women in ancient China. Over time the form was simplified and squared off into the modern character. Its core meaning of 'woman' or 'female' has remained stable for over three thousand years.