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Kotomora

牲

animal sacrifice, offering

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • セイ

Kun'yomi

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Meaning

牲 centers on a living creature offered in ritual: an animal sacrifice or ceremonial offering.

Most common words using 牲

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Etymology

牲 combines 牜 (cow, animal) with 生 (life, living), suggesting a living animal used as a sacrifice.

Meaning mnemonic

A cow 牜 is alive 生, but it is being prepared as an offering. Picture a living animal chosen for a ritual sacrifice.

Reading mnemonic

For セイ, imagine a sacred animal sacrifice being offered to the sun (太陽, たいよう) on a holy day: the sun's rays (セイ) shine down on the offering.