牺牲

Meaning of 牺牲

牺牲 (xīshēng) means sacrifice — originally the animals (牲畜) offered to the spirits; now the selfless giving of one's life or interests for others or a greater cause.

To say Sacrifice in Chinese, pronounce 牺牲 as Xī shēng. The marks over the letters show the tones — the pitch contour that distinguishes Mandarin syllables.