TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
仔
仔 ＝ 亻 ＋ 子
ㄗˇ · zǐ/zǎi
adj — careful, meticulous (zǐ) — noun — a young animal, a kid (zǎi)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
亻義a person
A person (亻) beside 子, which carries the sound zǐ and also means child. As zǐ it means careful, attending to the small things: 仔細. As zǎi it names the young of something: 牛仔 the cowhand, the young one. 子 is dual-role here — the sound and a hint of meaning.
意 · Meanings
zǐ
(本義)仔細— careful, meticulous常用
→仔肩— a load one shoulders, a charge
zǎi
(本義)牛仔、馬仔— a young animal; a hand, a lad常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension