爵
シャク
baron, peerage, court rank
JLPT1 G7 S17 F5000
A depiction of a small bronze container in the shape of a sparrow, presented as a reward for services rendered to the state, and used for warming alcohol. The meaning later shifted to indicate a goblet, specifically, one in a set of goblets. *Peerage* and *court ranking* are associated meanings, via the social strata of the recipients.
[Full Kanji Etymology List]