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]