祭る
まつる · matsuru · JLPT N2 · verb-godan
to deify
⛩️ 祭 = altar 示 + hand 又 + meat 夕: offer food to the altar to honor the gods
Matsuru means to treat a person or spirit as a god, or to house a deity in a shrine. The 示 radical marks sacred altars, so every 祭 act happens at a shrine.
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.