教授
きょうじゅ · kyouju · JLPT N3 · noun
professor
🎓📚 教授 = teach (教) + bestow (授): one who hands knowledge on
教 means teach, as in 教室 (classroom). 授 means confer or hand over, as in 授業 (lesson). Together they mean teaching, and also the person whose job is to teach: a professor. Sound hook: kyou-ju, 'cue-ju', the professor gives you your cue.
教 — 老 (filial son being taught) + 攵 (hand with stick)
教 originally depicted an adult holding a stick or rod (攵) instructing a child, often shown with the element 爻 (lessons/counting) above 子 (child). It is a classic associative compound meaning 'to teach' or 'to instruct,' with the right side suggesting discipline and guidance. The modern meanings 'teach, religion, doctrine' all extend from this image of formal instruction.