重んじる
おもんじる · omonjiru · JLPT N1 · verb-ichidan
to respect
🏅 Etymology: 重い (omoi, heavy) → to treat someone as weighty, i.e. important, so to respect
It shares the kanji 重 with 重い (omoi, heavy). To honor someone is to treat them as weighty and carrying real importance. The 'omo' sound echoes omoi.
重 — person 人 + east 東 (phonetic)
Originally depicted a person carrying a heavy bundle on their back, suggesting weight and burden. The 東-like element served as a phonetic component. Over time the character split into two readings: zhòng meaning 'heavy' and chóng meaning 'repeat/again'.