管子
guǎn zi · HSK 7
famous politician of Qi 齊國|齐国 of Spring and Autumn period; classical book containing writings of Guan Zhong and his school; Guanzi or Guan Zhong 管仲 (-645 BC); Guanzi
📖 管 Guan (surname, also pipe) + 子 zi (master suffix) = Master Guan, Qi statesman
管 is the surname Guan (the same character means pipe or tube); 子 is the honorific suffix seen in 孔子 Confucius and 老子 Laozi, marking a respected master. So 管子 names both Guan Zhong, the famed Qi minister, and the classical book of his school.
管 — bamboo radical 竹 + official 官 (phonetic)
Originally a pictograph of a bamboo tube or pipe, written with the bamboo radical 竹 on top. The lower component 官 supplies the sound. From 'bamboo pipe' it extended to 'tube,' then to 'manage' or 'control' — since pipes channel and regulate flow, the meaning shifted toward administration.
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.