This character was originally a picture of an ancestral tablet for worship, so when used as a component, it retains this meaning of altar.
alternative breakdown: 二+小 two + small, twosmall altar boys under the altar
derivative: 礻*Eastern altar
宗
zōng
religion
宀 + 示
house + altar
religion houses altars
崇
chóng
worship [v.]
山 + 宗zōng
mountain + religion
mountain top religion is a kind of worship
标
biāo
mark [n.]
木 + 示
tree/wood + altar
the marks on the trees lead to the altar in the woods
祭
jì
offer sacrifice
月 + 又 + 示
body part + right hand + altar
body part on the altar with the right hand raised
粽
zòng
rice dumpling
米 + 宗zōng
rice + religion
pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves and eaten during Dragon Boat Festival; some scholars suggest they were originally offerings to the dragon god
察
chá
investigate
宀 + 祭
house + offer sacrifice
(like a police investigation) investigating the house where it is rumored they still offer animal sacrifice
尉
wèi
*martyr
尸 + 示 + 寸
flag + altar + thumb
martyrs his thumb on the altar for the flag
擦
cā
scrub
扌 + 察chá
hand + investigate
scrub with your hand and then investigate to make sure it is clean
圣
shèng
holy
又 + 土
right hand + soil
right hand raised, dedicating the soil to make it holy
禁
jìn
prohibit
林lín + 示
woods + altar
sign in the woods prohibits the building of altars
