盖子
gài zi · HSK 7
lid
🍯 盖 = cover/lid + 子 = noun suffix; gài-zi = the lid thing
盖 (gài) means to cover or a lid; 子 (zi) is a common noun suffix that turns a root into a concrete everyday object. So 盖子 literally reads as cover-thing — the lid of a jar, pot, or bottle.
盖 — grass 艹 + 盍 (cover/lid)
Originally written 葢, this character combines the grass radical 艹 with 盍 ('to cover'), which itself shows a lid over a vessel. It first referred to a thatched grass cover or lid, then broadened to mean 'to cover' generally, and later extended to surnames and the conjunction 'thereupon'.
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.