教科書
きょうかしょ · kyoukasho · JLPT N3 · noun
textbook
📘 教科書 = teach + subject + book: the book a subject is taught from
教 (kyō) means teach, 科 (ka) means subject or course, and 書 (sho) means book or writing. Put together they make a textbook. 教科 by itself means a school subject.
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.
科 — grain 禾 + measure 斗
科 combines 禾 (grain) and 斗 (a dipper/measure), originally depicting the act of measuring or grading grain. From this, it extended to mean classification, category, and branch of study. Today it commonly appears in words for science (科学) and academic disciplines.