The word **君子** is a classical Chinese compound formed through semantic combination: **君** (*jūn*), meaning "ruler" or "sovereign," is paired with **子** (*zǐ*), a term for "master" or "offspring" that also functions as an honorific title for a learned or virtuous man. Together, they originally denoted a "son of a ruler" or a person of noble rank, but through Confucian philosophy, the meaning underwent a profound semantic shift to emphasize moral character over birthright. Thus, the compound now refers primarily to an "exemplary person" or "gentleman," one who cultivates virtue, righteousness, and ethical integrity, representing an ideal of moral nobility rather than mere social aristocracy.