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.

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这把椅坐起来很舒服。

zhè bǎ yǐ zi zuò qǐ lái hěn shū fu。

This chair is very comfortable to sit in.

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

杆子

gān zi

pole

叉子

chā zi

fork

啥子

shá zi

(dialect) what

狗子

gǒu zi

(coll.) dog

争面子

zhēng miàn zi

to do (sb) proud; to be a credit to (one's school etc)

绵子

mián zi

(dial.) silk floss

配子

pèi zǐ

gamete

金子

jīn zi

gold

臣子

chén zǐ

official in feudal court

逗闷子

dòu mèn zi

(dialect) to joke

这一阵子

zhè yī zhèn zi

recently

这下子

zhè xià zi

this time

More characters with 了