to recommend; to offer sacrifice (arch.); grass; straw mat
Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 存 represents the sound. Simplified form of 薦. Based on the original meaning "pasture, straw mat". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
《說文》：“荐，薦蓆也。从艸，存聲。”
pasture, straw mat