狮子
shīzi · HSK 7
lion
🦁 狮 (shī, lion) + 子 (zi, noun suffix) = the lion animal
狮 carries the lion meaning; the 子 suffix just turns it into a standalone noun, like the -er in many English nouns. The 犭 radical on the left marks it as an animal.
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.