祀

To sacrifice or worship. Specifically denotes the formal, institutionalized system of ritual honor rather than a spontaneous act of piety.

• Verb: To perform formal rites; to honor via established sacrifice.
• Noun: The sacrificial rite itself; the designated occasion or anniversary of worship.
• Modifier: Used in reference to officials in charge of rites or specific ritual spaces.

// Contrast with 祭 (//jì*): While often interchangeable, a distinction typically exists between the physical act and the systemic obligation. 祭 generally refers to the specific act of offering (the gesture, the food/drink), whereas 祀 refers to the established ritual cycle, the institutional duty, or the formal system of worship.

// Contrast with 祠 (//cí*): 祀 is the ritual process or obligation; 祠 is the physical shrine where that process occurs.

The presence of 宗 (lineage/ancestral temple) anchors the glyph in hierarchical relationships, primarily concerning ancestors, founders, or state deities who occupy a specific position within a familial or cosmic lineage.

In early texts, 祀 carries a weight of permanence and legalistic obligation. To //sì// an entity is often to formally recognize and legitimize their status within the ancestral or state hierarchy.