肴 yáo dressed meat
cooked or prepared meat
How it came to be
The crossed lines block, two crossings, over meat. Meat cut across and laid out: a dish, not a carcass, which is the difference the crossings are there to show.
How it is used
- Bound; means cooked dishes (esp. meat) - 佳肴 (jiāyáo) fine delicacies, 菜肴 (càiyáo) dishes/food.
- Register is written/appreciative, classic in 美酒佳肴 (měijiǔ-jiāyáo) fine wine and good food. Not used for a single dish you'd order casually.