服 (fú) — to take (medicine); to serve (a prison sentence, military service); to be convinced; to submit to; to admire
Definition
As a verb, 服 covers several meanings: take medicine, serve a sentence, or be convinced / submit to. Don't confuse it with 衣服 or 服装 (clothing) — those are nouns. Compare 服从 (obey authority) and 服气 (be convinced of a point).
verb
to take (medicine)to serve (a prison sentence, military service)to be convincedto submit toto admire
Easily confused
Examples
- 服。Zhè zhǒng yào xū yào měi tiān fú sān cì.This medicine needs to be taken three times a day.
- 服。Tā yīn wèi dào qiè fú le liǎng nián xíng.He served two years in prison for theft.
- ，服。Wǒ tīng le tā de jiě shì, chè dǐ fú le.After hearing his explanation, I was completely convinced.
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.
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.
Appears in
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