Origin

The character 孝 combines two visual ideas to represent filial piety. The top part 耂 depicts an old person, while the bottom part 子 means child. Together they create an image of a child supporting or caring for an elderly parent, which is the core concept of filial piety in East Asian culture. The strokes that make up the old person component show the bent posture of age, emphasizing the generational relationship. This straightforward picture of intergenerational duty is why the character came to mean a child's respect and care for parents.

AI-generated (claude-haiku-4-5), not yet reviewed. Formation type (automated guess): Compound ideographic (combined meanings).