镜子
jìngzi · HSK 4
mirror
🪞 镜 (mirror) + 子 (noun suffix) = mirror-thing
镜 carries 金 (metal) on the left — old mirrors were polished bronze, not glass. 子 is the same noun-softener you see in 杯子 (cup) and 椅子 (chair), turning the bare root into an everyday object.
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.