家教
jiājiào · HSK 7
tutor
🏠📚 家教 = 家 home + 教 teach: the teach-at-home person, a tutor
家 means home or family and 教 means to teach. A 家教 is literally a home-teacher, the private tutor who comes to teach you at home. The pronunciation jiājiào stacks the two readings: jiā (home) then jiào (teach).
家 — roof 宀 + pig 豕
Originally a pictograph of a pig under a roof, since domesticated pigs were kept in or under the home in ancient China. Over time the meaning broadened from 'household' to 'family,' and by extension 'home' or a specialist (as in 专家, 'expert').
教 — 老 (filial son being taught) + 攵 (hand with stick)
教 originally depicted an adult holding a stick or rod (攵) instructing a child, often shown with the element 爻 (lessons/counting) above 子 (child). It is a classic associative compound meaning 'to teach' or 'to instruct,' with the right side suggesting discipline and guidance. The modern meanings 'teach, religion, doctrine' all extend from this image of formal instruction.