公平
こうへい · kouhei · JLPT N3 · noun
fairness
⚖️ 公平 = public + level; kouhei sounds like co-pay, a bill split evenly
公 means public or shared for all, and 平 means flat or even, as in 平和 (peace). Something kept level for everyone is fair. Chinese uses the same word, read gōngpíng.
公 — eight 八 + private 厶
Originally an ideograph showing 八 (to divide) over 厶 (private/self), depicting the act of splitting away from selfish interest. The combination came to mean 'public' or 'fair,' the opposite of private. It later extended to senses like 'duke,' 'lord,' and 'grandfather.'
平 — horizontal stroke 一 + 干 with two dots 八
平 originally depicted a balance or scale being level, suggesting evenness. The horizontal lines and symmetrical dots evoke a flat, balanced surface. Over time it extended from 'level/flat' to broader senses like 'calm,' 'peaceful,' and 'ordinary.'