铲子
chǎn zi · HSK 7
shovel
🪹 CHAN sounds like chant — chant while you dig with a shovel
铲 (chǎn) carries the metal radical 钅 on the left, flagging it as a metal tool. The right side 产 (chǎn, produce) gives the sound. So: a metal tool that sounds like 'produce' — you produce holes with a shovel.
铲 — metal radical 钅 + 产 chǎn (phonetic)
铲 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The metal radical 钅 (金) signals a metal tool, while 产 (chǎn) supplies the sound. It originally referred to a flat metal blade for scraping or shoveling, and now means 'shovel' or 'to shovel/level off'.
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.