尊

Originally a pictograph depicting a ritual act:

酋 (chief, wine jar) — represents a large wine vessel.

寸 (hand, control) — symbolizes offering or presenting with the hand.

In early oracle bone inscriptions, the character showed two hands (廾) raising a wine jar in offering. This conveyed the sense of presenting wine to the spirits or to someone of higher status.

Later, the meaning extended from “ritual wine vessel” → “to make an offering” → “to honor, to revere.”

The vessel sense was later specialized into 樽 (준, wine cask) with the addition of 木 (wood).

Semantic range:

- noble, exalted, worthy of respect;

- to honor, to revere, to respect;

- wine vessel, ritual jar (archaic usage).

존귀 (尊貴) — nobility, dignity

존경 (尊敬) — respect, reverence

존속 (尊屬) — lineal ascendants, parents

존대 (尊待) — respectful treatment

존비 (尊卑) — ranks of high and low