靶子
bǎ zi · HSK 7
target
🎯 革 leather + 巴 ba sound — old targets were stretched leather hides
The radical 革 means leather or hide. Archery targets were originally animal hides mounted on frames. 巴 supplies the pronunciation bǎ.
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.