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服务员 (fú wù yuán) — server; waiter/waitress; service staff; attendant

Definition

noun
serverwaiter/waitressservice staffattendant
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 服务员，。
    Zhè ge fú wù yuán de tài dù hěn hǎo, wǒ men dōu hěn mǎn yì.
    This server's attitude is very good, we are all satisfied.
  • 服务员。
    Qǐng jiào yí wèi fú wù yuán lái gěi wǒ men diǎn cài.
    Please call a waiter/waitress over to take our order.
  • 服务员。
    Jiǔ diàn lǐ de fú wù yuán dōu chuān zhuó tǒng yī de zhì fú.
    The service staff in the hotel all wear uniforms.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

服务serve
服fúserve务wùaffairs
动宾Verb + object
员yuánsuffix: person

服 means to serve, 务 refers to affairs, and 员 marks a person, giving service staff.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
凡凡fántray
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠬝
𠬝𠬝服fú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 服, the part 𠬝 was the original picture for 'to subdue'; the added left part 凡, a tray, later changed shape.

Open 服 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 務; 务 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
敄
敄wù務wù
Same sound today

In the traditional form 務, 力 shows the sense of strength or effort, while 敄 gives the sound. The simplified 务 is a later shorthand.

Open 务 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 2Dining & RestaurantsProfessions & Jobs5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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