帝

Bottom cloth radical (Kangxi #50) — also 帝's indexing radical. Originally a ritual cloth hung at the altar; in the imperial extension, the cloth-banner of the supreme being who receives sacrifice. Same radical anchors 师, 帮, 帽 — cloth-and-banner family.

Top — historically read as a stylised altar or sacrificial bundle, but visually the upper 6 strokes form a 立-like silhouette (standalone 立 has 5 strokes; here 1-stroke expansion absorbs an extra horizontal). The 'standing on a base' image fits the etymology — bound stalks tied to a ritual stand.