生徒
せいと · seito · JLPT N5 · noun
student
🎒📚 生徒 = life/learning (生) + follower (徒): one who follows to learn
生 means life or birth and appears in 学生 (student) and 先生 (teacher). 徒 means follower or disciple. Together: a learner who follows a teacher. In Japan 生徒 is used for middle and high school pupils, while 学生 is for university students.
生 — sprout 屮 above earth 土
Originally a pictograph showing a young plant sprouting from the ground, with 屮 (a sprout) above 土 (earth). The core meaning is 'to be born, to grow, to live,' which extends to 'raw, unripe, unfamiliar.' The modern form has simplified the sprout shape but preserves the image of new growth emerging from soil.