Origin

This character combines the mountain radical at the top with a sound component below. The mountain radical often appears in characters about tall, impressive things that command attention. The bottom component provides a sound hint for pronunciation but doesn't directly add meaning to the character. Together, the stacked formation suggests something elevated and venerable — a mountain-like quality of greatness — which connects to the meanings of respect and reverence. Over time, the visual idea of looking up at something high and impressive became associated with the concept of adoring or worshipping something worthy of respect.