子 means “child”

こ · ko

Also: sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM, first sign of Chinese zodiac

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): こ, ね
On'yomi (Chinese reading): シ, ス, ツ

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 1 · 3 strokes

The story

Arms outstretched in joy: children reach for the world with open hands, curiosity without limits.

Used in many Japanese names; combined with 女 means "girl"

Where it comes from

Pictographic (象形文字): A baby with head, arms outstretched, and swaddled body.

The ancient pictograph showed a baby with a large head (babies have proportionally big heads!) and tiny arms reaching out. The modern form still shows this: the top is the outstretched arms, the middle is the big head, and the bottom is the wrapped body.

To remember it: A baby reaching its arms up (一) with a big head (了), wanting to be picked up!

Its parts

子 Child · Entire character

A pictograph of a swaddled baby with outstretched arms: child

Words with 子

男子 (だんし, danshi): boy / young man
女子 (じょし, joshi): girl / young woman
母子 (ぼし, boshi): mother and child
父子 (ふし, fushi): father and child
子女 (しじょ, shijo): sons and daughters
愛子 (あいこ, aiko): beloved child
子供 (こども, kodomo): children
子孫 (しそん, shison): descendants

Example sentences

子供が公園で遊んでいます。 The children are playing in the park.
私は子供が二人います。 I have two children.

Kanji that look like 子

了 (finish): 了 removes the bottom curve of 子: done, nothing left
字 (character / letter): 字 puts 子 under a roof: a child learning at home

More from People & Life

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