敬意
けいい · keii · JLPT N3 · noun
respect
🙇 敬意 = respect (敬) + intention (意): respect you mean
敬 means to revere, as in 尊敬 (sonkei, esteem). 意 means mind or intention, as in 意味 (imi, meaning). Together they mean the respect you hold toward someone. It often appears in 敬意を表す, to express respect.
敬 — 苟 (gǒu, phonetic) + 攵 (tap/strike)
Originally depicted a person being urged or disciplined with a stick (攵), with 苟 providing the sound. The early sense was 'to warn' or 'to be on guard,' which extended to careful, attentive behavior. From there it shifted to 'respect' and 'reverence,' the modern meaning.