牺

犧

xī

牛 + 西

Definitions

xī (verb,noun) sacrifice

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 牛 represents the meaning and 西 represents the sound. Simplified form of 犧.

Semantic: 牛 Phonetic: 西

About

牺 is the simplified form of 犧, combining the meaning radical 牜 (from 牛 'ox', indicating livestock) with the phonetic component 西. The traditional character uses 羲 for the sound instead. Originally, this character referred to solid-colored, unblemished cattle reserved for important religious ceremonies and ancestral sacrifices. Its modern meaning has broadened from ritual animal offerings to the voluntary surrender of one's life, interests, or possessions for a greater cause.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他为国家牺牲了。

Tā wèi guójiā xīshēng le.

He sacrificed for the country.

战士们牺牲在战场上。

Zhànshìmen xīshēng zài zhànchǎng shàng.

The soldiers sacrificed on the battlefield.

为了和平，许多人牺牲了。

Wèile hépíng, xǔduō rén xīshēng le.

For peace, many people sacrificed.

如果不牺牲，就不会成功。

Rúguǒ bù xīshēng, jiù bù huì chénggōng.

If there is no sacrifice, there will be no success.

他的牺牲带来了巨大的改变。

Tā de xīshēng dài lái le jùdà de gǎibiàn.

His sacrifice brought about great change.

在革命中，无数英雄牺牲了生命。

Zài gémìng zhōng, wúshù yīngxióng xīshēng le shēngmìng.

In the revolution, countless heroes sacrificed their lives.

尽管牺牲很大，但他们从未后悔过。

Jǐnguǎn xīshēng hěn dà, dàn tāmen cóng wèi hòuhuǐ guò.

Although the sacrifice was great, they never regretted it.

牺牲小我，完成大我，是一种高尚的品质。

Xīshēng xiǎo wǒ, wánchéng dà wǒ, shì yī zhǒng gāoshàng de pǐnzhì.

Sacrificing the small self to complete the greater self is a noble quality.

Related Characters

Component: 牛

Component: 西

牺