ritual of offering sacrifice

祭 is composed of a variant of 肉 (meat), a variant of 又 (hand), and 示 (altar). It vividly depicts a hand holding a piece of meat and placing it onto a sacrificial altar as an offering to gods and ancestors. From this literal imagery of ancient sacrificial practice, the character came to represent any religious ritual, tribute, or ceremony dedicated to honoring spirits and worshiping ancestors.