教職
きょうしょく · kyoushoku · JLPT N1 · noun
profession
📚 教 (teach) + 職 (job, post) = the job of teaching: the teaching profession
教 (kyou) means teach and 職 (shoku) means occupation or post. Together, teach plus occupation gives kyoushoku, the teaching profession.
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.