This kanji is made up of two parts. On the left is the “cow” or “bull” radical, which originally depicted a horned bovine face. On the right is the element for “righteousness” , itself composed of a sheep and a bladed saw once used to slaughter and carve sacrificial meat for sacred rites. Combined, the kanji originally signified livestock ritually offered to the gods, which later came to mean “to sacrifice” or “an offering made to the divine.”
Words & Phrases
- 犠牲（gisei）: sacrifice