伺 (cì) — (bound form) to serve, to attend to (as in 伺候)
Definition
伺 (cì) is almost always seen in the set phrase 伺候, meaning to attend to or care for a person (serving, looking after elders, patients, etc.). It is a bound form — 伺候 is the unit, not 伺 alone.
bound form
to serveto attend to (as in 伺候)
Examples
- ，。Tā hěn huì cì hou rén, zǒng shì hěn xì xīn.He is very good at attending to people, always very careful.
- 。Tā měi tiān dōu yào cì hou nián mài de mǔ qīn.She has to attend to her elderly mother every day.
- 。cì Hou bìng rén xū yào nài xīn hé ài xīn.Attending to patients requires patience and love.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
伺 combines 人, a person, with 司, which is used for its sound. The shape shows a person standing beside someone to attend or look in.
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