「Array of screwing」or「rod in up position」: it is only natural that the sages used the single most identifying trait known to them, that of a PENIS, to describe the über-privileged senior ministerial class of dynastic China. Sources define the glyph as GENTLEMAN, which formerly in English also was 'genital-man' the same as this Chinese glyph that described a clan or tribe descended from one set of male genitals (from Latin gentlis). So-called 'commoners' had no traceable ancestry due to mongrelism and bastardization, so their genitals did not make them gentlemen. And to be honest, most men do live penis-centered lives of one sort or another, with gentleness of genitals of paramount concern. To be honest furthermore, most gentlemen could not truly trace their ancestry either, but had assumed a position in society that enabled them to lie about it and not be challenged, much. Recall that for the most part, the first western scholars in Asia (Francis Xavier, for example) were religious missionaries, priests, or monks who were constrained from telling the truth about the elemental meanings, and the meanings of sexually explicit glyphs. Some scholars refer to this glyph as「masculinity」and then claim it represents a samurai or a cultured gentleman, but do not explain why.
　Actually, this is represents a PENIS (and does not always depict gentlemanly behavior). When used as an element, often meaning ENGORGED, filled to the fullest. Elements are「up」(raised shaft, rod) with perhaps the depiction of some sort of penetration, but in stylized Chinese today and in old glyphs, the upper horizontal stroke is drawn beside the central「rod, shaft, stem」on both the left and right sides, depicting the prepuce surrounding the「emerging glans with foreskin」or as「rod, shaft that emerges.」In many modern fonts, perhaps to obscure the origins or because a penis often was covered in night soil, this element is sometimes drawn as「dirt, soil.」Euphemistically linked to「tattoo needle, torture device」and an「appendage that spews venom, scorpion tail.」

Modern definitions (that generally disregard history) …excluding politically incorrect concepts and other meanings deemed offensive today; may list only pigeonholed definitions, euphemisms, or meaningless mnemonics)
Chinese: member of the senior ministerial class (old); scholar (old); bachelor; honorific; first class military rank; specialist worker
Japanese: warrior, samurai
Unihan extended: scholar, gentleman; soldier
EDRDG: gentleman; samurai; samurai radical (no. 33)

Used within names (nanori)
お　･　ま