勝利
しょうり · shouri · JLPT N1 · noun
victory
🏆 勝利 = 勝 (win) + 利 (profit/benefit): winning brings the prize
勝 means win or beat, and 利 means gain or advantage. Together they describe victory as the win that yields the gain. Sounds like 'show-ree', like 'show' the trophy of a win.
利 — grain 禾 + knife 刂
Originally a pictograph showing a knife (刂) cutting grain (禾), depicting harvest. From the idea of a sharp blade reaping crops, it extended to mean 'sharp,' then 'benefit,' 'profit,' or 'advantage' — the gain that comes from a successful harvest.