稿子
gǎo zi · HSK 6
draft of a document
📝 稿 = grain radical + tall (高); zi = noun suffix; a 'tall stack of grain-paper' draft
稿 combines 禾 (grain/straw, since early paper drafts were on coarse fiber) with 高 gāo (tall) for sound. 子 is a common noun suffix. So 稿子 literally points to a written manuscript or draft.
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.