The kanji 慈 (ji) primarily conveys the meaning of "mercy," "compassion," "kindness," and "affection." It embodies feelings of love and care, especially towards others, and often implies a gentle, nurturing aspect. It suggests a deep concern for the well-being of someone or something.

・On-yomi (音読み): ジ (ji) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): いつく（しむ） (itsuku(shimu)) - to love; to be kind to; to show mercy

⚫︎ 慈愛 (jiai) Translation: Affection; tender love; parental love ⚫︎ 慈悲 (jihi) Translation: Mercy; compassion ⚫︎ 慈母 (jibo) Translation: Loving mother

The kanji 慈 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), a phono-semantic compound character. It is formed by combining the semantic component 心 (kokoro, heart/mind) and the phonetic component 茲 (shi, the original shape shows "this"). The radical 心 indicates that the character relates to the emotions and feelings. The phonetic part 茲 was originally a pictograph of a plant, and it lends the sound "ji." The combination suggests the heart or mind's gentle and nurturing nature, giving rise to its meaning of compassion and kindness.