犠牲

ぎせい · gisei · JLPT N1 · noun

forfeit

🐂 Both kanji hold 牛 (ox): sacrifice = giving up a living ox

牲 = 牛 (ox) + 生 (life), an animal given up alive. 犠 pairs 牛 with 義 (righteousness), a sacrifice made for a cause.

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