祭祀
jìsì · HSK 7
offer sacrifices to gods/ancestors
⛩️ 祭 = hand offering meat over an altar (月=meat); 祀 shares the 礻 altar/spirit radical
Both characters carry the 示/礻 radical, the ancient altar sign tied to spirits and rites. 祭 adds a hand (又) placing meat (月) on that altar, so the pair literally spells out an offering laid before gods and ancestors.
祭 — hand 又 holding meat 月 (肉) + altar 示
Originally a pictograph showing a hand (又) offering a piece of meat (月, from 肉) onto an altar (示), depicting a ritual sacrifice. The meaning extended from 'sacrifice' to 'ceremony' or 'festival'. As a surname read Zhài, it refers to an ancient state.