日子
rìzi · HSK 2
day
📅 日子 = sun/day + child/suffix; 'days' as in daily life
日 means sun or day; 子 is a common noun suffix (also seen in 桌子 table, 椅子 chair). Together 日子 means days, or by extension one's daily life and livelihood.
日 — pictograph of the sun
日 is a pictograph of the sun, originally drawn as a circle with a dot or stroke inside representing the sun's substance. Over time the round shape was squared off into the modern rectangular form. It means 'sun' and by extension 'day'.
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.