自衛
じえい · jiei · JLPT N2 · noun
self-defense
🛡️ 自 (self) + 衛 (guard): self-defense is guarding yourself, the same 衛 as in 防衛 (defense)
衛 means guard or defend, as in 防衛 (bōei, defense). 自衛隊 (jieitai) is Japan's Self-Defense Force, which uses the same 自衛 root.
自 — pictograph of a nose
自 originally depicted a human nose, shown frontally with the bridge and nostrils. Ancient Chinese pointed to their own nose to mean 'me,' so 自 shifted to mean 'self' or 'oneself.' A new character 鼻 was later created to carry the original 'nose' meaning.