家事
かじ · kaji · JLPT N3 · noun
matter
🧹🏠 家事 = house (家) + matters (事): the business of running a home
家 (ka) means house or home, and 事 (ji) means thing, matter or affair. Put together, the affairs of the house are the chores. Don't mix it up with 火事 (kaji, fire), which sounds exactly the same but starts with 火, fire.
家 — roof 宀 + pig 豕
Originally a pictograph of a pig under a roof, since domesticated pigs were kept in or under the home in ancient China. Over time the meaning broadened from 'household' to 'family,' and by extension 'home' or a specialist (as in 专家, 'expert').
事 — hand 又 holding a banner/tablet on a pole
Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) grasping a pole or ceremonial banner used by an official, depicting the act of conducting court business. From this it came to mean 'affair, matter, business, service.' It shares an ancient origin with 史 (scribe) and 吏 (official).