俎
altar of sacrifice, chopping board
Readings
On'yomi
- ソ
- ショ
Kun'yomi
- いた
- まないた
Meaning
俎 centers on a flat surface used for preparing offerings: a chopping board or a raised platform for ritual sacrifice. The two meanings are connected by the idea of a dedicated surface for cutting and presenting items.
Most common words using 俎
- 俎上そじょう
on the chopping board
- 俎そ
altar of sacrifice
- 俎上にのせるそじょうにのせる
to put (a topic) up for debate; to lay on the table for consideration; to take up (a subject) for discussion
- 俎上の魚そじょうのうお
being in a helpless situation; (like a) fish on a chopping board
- 俎上の鯉そじょうのこい
someone doomed to their fate; fish on the chopping board
- 俎豆そとう
ancient altar of sacrifice
- 樽俎そんそ
(eating or drinking) party
- 樽俎折衝そんそせっしょう
diplomatic negotiations at the dinner table; diplomatic bargaining
Study
Etymology
俎 combines 仌 (a variant of 人, person) with 且 (a raised platform or altar). The character likely depicts a person beside a chopping board or sacrificial stand, reflecting its meanings.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side looks like a person (仌) standing next to a raised platform (且). Imagine a person at a chopping board, preparing food for a ritual sacrifice.
Reading mnemonic
For ソ, picture a person sawing meat on the chopping board: the sound of the saw is 'so', and the board is the 俎.