帽子
ぼうし · boushi · JLPT N5 · noun
hat
👒🧢 帽 = cloth 巾 + cover 冒; 子 = small-thing suffix: a cloth cover for the head
帽 (bou) pairs the cloth radical 巾 with 冒, which means to cover and also gives the sound. 子 (shi) is a noun ending for small objects, as in 椅子 (chair). Sound hook: a BOW-SHE, the bow-topped thing she wears on her head.
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.