崇高
chónggāo · HSK 7
sublime
⛰️ 崇 = mountain (山) over ancestor (宗) + 高 = tall — sublimely high
崇 stacks 山 (mountain) atop 宗 (ancestor/clan), evoking deep reverence. Pair it with 高 (tall) and you get something elevated beyond ordinary reach — the sublime.
高 — pictograph of a tall building/tower
高 is a pictograph of a tall structure, likely a watchtower or multi-story gate, with a roof on top, an upper chamber, and a base below. From this concrete image of height it extended to the general meanings 'tall,' 'high,' and figuratively 'lofty' or 'noble.'