素人
しろうと · shirouto · JLPT N2 · noun
novice
🧑 素 = plain, raw + 人 = person: a plain, unrefined person who is not yet a pro
素 also appears in 素材 (raw material), so a 素人 is someone with untrained, unprocessed skill. Compare 玄人, an expert.
素 — silk 糸 + sheng 𠂹 (hanging threads)
Originally depicted raw, undyed silk hanging to dry, with the silk radical 糸 below and strands above. From this came the meaning 'plain, unadorned, white,' then extended to 'basic element' or 'plain/simple' in general. The 'vegetarian' sense developed later from the idea of plain, unembellished food.
人 — pictograph of a standing person
人 is a pictograph showing a person viewed from the side, with two strokes representing the legs and torso of a standing human. In oracle bone script it clearly depicted a figure leaning slightly forward. The meaning has remained 'person' or 'human' throughout its history.