How to Write 祭 (jì) — Meaning “To sacrifice; to offer sacrifice”

Imagine your hand (又) holding a piece of meat (月) and placing it on an altar (示) as an offering to gods or ancestors. This visual picture directly connects the character to its meaning of sacrifice.

Write the top left component 月 narrower and the top right 又 balanced, then the bottom 示 wider. A common mistake is confusing the bottom part with 衣 (clothing), but 示 has two horizontal strokes at the top, not the large stroke pattern of 衣.

祭 (jì) means sacrifice and has 月 + 又 + 示. 祘 (suàn) is an archaic character for counting and is not commonly used. 祟 (suì) means evil spirit or mischief and is written with 出 (going out) above 示, not 月 and 又.

祭 appears in words like 祭祀 (jì sì, offering sacrifices) and 祭奠 (jì diàn, commemorating the dead). It is frequently used during traditional festivals like Qingming Festival to honor ancestors. Culturally, 祭 reflects the deep respect Chinese people have for their ancestors and spiritual traditions.

Common words containing 祭 include: 祭祀 (jì sì) — To offer sacrifices to gods or ancestors; 祭品 (jì pǐn) — Sacrificial offerings; 祭奠 (jì diàn) — To offer sacrifices to the dead; to commemorate.