斧子
fǔ zi · HSK 7
axe
🪓 斧 (fǔ) = axe + 子 (zi) noun suffix; sounds like foo-dzuh
斧 fǔ is the standalone word for axe, built from 父 (fù, father — phonetic) over 斤 (jīn, an old axe/chopping radical). 子 zi is a common noun suffix, so 斧子 just means the everyday axe.
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.