子

zi

noun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"

a picture of 子 → a bundled child, now a noun-making suffix

The ancient form shows a swaddled infant with arms free but legs wrapped tight. Over time, 子 was borrowed widely as a suffix that turns nouns into everyday, tangible things.

了+一→子

这把椅子坐起来很舒服。

zhè bǎ yǐ zi zuò qǐ lái hěn shū fu。

This chair is very comfortable to sit in.

桌子上放着一个盘子。

zhuō zi shàng fàng zhe yí gè pán zi。

On the table sits a plate.

Words with 子

子嗣

zǐ sì

son

瘸子

qué zi

lame person (colloquial)

钉子

dīng zi

nail

梁子湖

liáng zi hú

see 梁子湖區|梁子湖区[Liang2 zi5 hu2 Qu1]

照镜子

zhào jìng zi

to look in the mirror

绿帽子

lǜ mào zi

green hat (figuratively, a symbol of being a cuckold)

白马王子

bái mǎ wáng zǐ

a Prince Charming; the man of one's dreams

步子

bù zi

step

汉子

hàn zi

man

父子

fù zǐ

father and son

耗子

hào zi

(dialect) mouse; rat

节子

jiē zi

gnarl

More characters with 了

承函亨亟疗辽钌