About
犒 is a phonosemantic compound combining the semantic component 牛 (ox) and the phonetic component 高. In ancient agricultural and military life, cattle represented wealth and were the main meat for large feasts. The character means rewarding troops with food and drink to honor their service or boost morale, a practice that often involved slaughtering oxen to provide a banquet, which is why the ox radical conveys the core idea of giving provisions as a reward.
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