犧

Denotes a sacrificial animal offered to Heaven or the spirits — and by extension, self-sacrifice or dedication made out of reverence or devotion. It embodies both religious ritual and moral self-offering.

Compound ideograph historically associated with 牛 (소 우, “ox”) and 羲 (복희씨 희, “Fuxi”), though philologically, 羲 is now regarded as derived from 犧, not the other way around.

牛 (우) — the ox, the central animal of ancient sacrificial rites, symbolizing purity and submission.

羲 — originally depicted a divine or ritual figure; later personified as the culture hero Fuxi (伏羲).

Thus, 犧 literally means “sacred ox”, the pure animal offered in solemn rites to Heaven (天) and the ancestors.

犧牲 (희생) — to sacrifice; sacrificial victim

犧牛 (희우) — sacrificial ox

犧命 (희명) — to give one’s life for righteousness; to die in service

犧祭 (희제) — sacrificial rite; offering ceremony

犧牲精神 (희생정신) — spirit of self-sacrifice

犧牲品 (희생품) — offering; something sacrificed for a cause

犧牲者 (희생자) — victim; one who gives or loses life

In ancient Chinese ritual culture, 犧 referred specifically to a spotless ox used in Heaven-worship (祭天) or ancestral rites (祭祖). The ox had to be pure — without blemish, scar, or defect — symbolizing perfect devotion.

「用犧牲以報天。」

“Offer the sacrificial ox to repay Heaven” — Book of Rites (禮記).

The act of 犧 was not merely an offering of life but an act of moral purification — returning what is most precious to the source of all life.

Over time, 犧 extended metaphorically to any form of self-sacrifice — giving one’s life, comfort, or desires for the sake of duty, love, or truth.

「義之所至，雖死不避，故曰犧牲。」

“Where righteousness leads, one does not shrink even from death — hence it is called sacrifice.”

In Confucian ethics, 犧 embodies the highest virtue of 義 (righteousness) — to give oneself for a greater moral order.

In Buddhist and Christian translations in East Asia, 犧 also became the chosen character to express the concept of sacred offering — the compassionate surrender of self for the liberation of others.

The ox (牛), humble and patient, represents human service to Heaven and Earth; through 犧, that service becomes sacred.

Thus, 犧 transcends ritual sacrifice to signify the ideal of noble self-offering — whether in worship, duty, or compassion.

無私之犧，乃真德之華。

“A sacrifice without selfishness is the blossom of true virtue.”

In this way, 犧 bridges the realms of religion, morality, and humanity:

the pure offering, the moral act, and the ultimate expression of devotion.