the sacrifice

"子" (shi)

Today，the general meaning of this character is "child".

"Honorific title for men."
But 子 seems to also have this meaning originally.
　
For example.
　
Confucius write in Chinese characters "孔子".(kō-shi)
His family name is 孔 surely.(kō)
But his real personal name is 丘.(kyū)
　
In the same way，Mencius write in Chinese characters "孟子".(mō-shi)
And his family name is 孟.(mō)
But his real personal name is 軻.(ka)

They were called by the honorific title "子" from their disciples.
(from people of future generations.)

"Saint, precious person."
Probably，子 had its meaning.

Note：All of these are modern Japanese pronunciation.


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There is a Chinese character "師".
Pronunciation of this chinese characters is also "shi"..
And today，the general meaning of this character is "Master，Teacher".
　
"子曰" (shi-iwaku)
　
This is often the beginning of sentences of Analects.　
　
This meaning is "Confucius said".
(子/Confucius)(曰/said)
　
"師曰"
　
This phrase may be possible to convert like this.　
Although 師 was military word of the Zhou Dynasty originally.　
　
Troop of 2,500 people.
The Zhou Dynasty called it 師.

"Person who direct it."

It would flow of meaning like this maybe.
師 seems to became have a meaning of "leadership".


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Dating back era further.
Time it was still hieroglyph.　

The left half of ☛師.
This seems to be the cross section of the sacrifice that was cut.　
　
The right half of 師☚.
This seems to be deformation of Chinese character "sheep".
(Today，chinese characters of sheep is 羊.)
　
"The sacrifice that was dedicated to God before the war."
　
The origin of this character.
It seems to have had something like that.　
　
And 子.
The origin of this character.
It seems to be hieroglyphics a small child.