俎 (zǔ) - Chopping board & sacrificial altar

俎Tone 3

zǔ ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

志

俎 · zǔ

Chopping board;

sacrificial altar;

ancient vessel for holding sacrificial meat;

a stand for cutting meat.

Chopping boardsacrificial altarancient vessel for holding sacrificial meat

Usage highlights

chopping boardsacrificial altarmeat standbe meat on the chopping blockritual vesselkitchen board

Synonyms

  • 案— table, desk (sometimes used for food preparation)
  • 板— board, plank

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The chef used a cutting board (俎) to prepare the vegetables.
  • In ancient rituals, offerings were placed on the sacrificial altar (俎).
  • The character 俎 appears in the idiom 'be meat on the chopping block' (人为刀俎，我为鱼肉).
  • Archaeologists found a bronze meat stand (青铜俎) from the Shang dynasty.

Collocations

  • chopping board(刀俎)
  • sacrificial altar(祭俎)
  • meat stand(肉俎)
  • be meat on the chopping block(人为刀俎，我为鱼肉)
  • ritual vessel(礼俎)
  • kitchen board(厨俎)

Idioms

  • Be meat on the chopping block(人为刀俎，我为鱼肉)
  • Hold the sacrificial knife and stand by the chopping block(越俎代庖)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally a ritual vessel in ancient Chinese sacrifices, used to hold meat offerings to ancestors and deities.
  • Symbolizes vulnerability and powerlessness in the idiom 'be meat on the chopping block', reflecting historical social hierarchies.
  • Represents ancient culinary and sacrificial practices, connecting food preparation with ritual ceremony.

FAQ