献 means “offer, dedicate”

けん · ken

Also: offering, counter for drinks, present

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

たてまつる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ケン, コン

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

A dog (犬) beside 南: in the old form 獻 it stood by a cooking cauldron, and the oldest dictionary says a dog was offered at the ancestral temple. 献 is offering: 献血 is giving blood, 貢献 a contribution, and 献立 a menu.

Used in 貢献 (kouken, contribution), 献血 (kenketsu, blood donation), and 献立 (kondate, menu)

More from Give & Receive

• 恵 blessing
• 譲 hand over
• 納 pay
• 呈 present
• 奉 offer up
• 享 receive
• 賜 grant
• 頒 distribute
• 授 grant

Learn 献 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.