ancestor(祖)

On the right side of this figure, you can see a pile of blocks, while the left features a stand for sacred offerings. Therefore, this character beautifully symbolizes an ‘ancestor’—representing those who built and piled up their lives through the generations.

Words & Phrases

  • 祖国(sokoku):The country in which a person was born; one’s home country.
  • 祖先(sosen):One’s family line from its founder to the previous generation
  • 祖父母(sofubo):The father and mother of one’s parents; one’s grandfather and grandmother.