The character 精子 is formed by combining two meaningful components. The left part, 米 (mǐ), means "rice" or "grain", visually evoking something tiny and seed-like. The right part, 子 (zǐ), means "child" or "seed", representing the essence of life and offspring. Together, they create a conceptual compound where the "grain-seed" metaphorically represents the male reproductive cell, a minute, grain-like entity that carries the fundamental seed of a new life.