伏 (fú) — to lie prostrate; to bend over; to subside; to go down; to subdue; to tame

Definition

A literary/formal verb meaning 'to lie prostrate' or 'to subside'. In compounds it can mean 'to subdue' (降伏) or 'hot summer days' (伏天).

verb
to lie prostrateto bend overto subsideto go downto subdueto tame
Easily confused

Examples

  • 伏。
    Tā fú zài zhuō zi shàng wǔ shuì.
    He lay prostrate on the desk for a nap.
  • 伏。
    Rè làng jiàn jiàn fú xià qù le.
    The heat wave gradually subsided.
  • 。
    Zhè wèi xiá kè zuì zhōng xiáng fú le è quǎn.
    This knight-errant finally subdued the fierce dog.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

伏 combines 人 (person) and 犬 (dog), as a dog beside a person or a person taking a dog's low posture, to show lying prostrate.

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