降服 (xiáng fú) — to surrender, to yield, to submit

Definition

Means to surrender or yield under pressure, typically in a military or confrontational context. Stronger and more decisive than 投降, which can also apply figuratively (e.g., giving in, defecting).

verb
to surrenderto yieldto submit
Easily confused

Examples

  • 降服。
    Dí jūn zuì zhōng xiáng fú le.
    The enemy army finally surrendered.
  • 降服。
    Tā jué bú huì qīng yì xiáng fú.
    He will never easily surrender.
  • ，降服。
    Miàn duì qiáng dí, tā men bù dé bú xiáng fú.
    Facing a strong enemy, they had to surrender.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

降jiàngsurrender
服fúsubmit

“降” and “服” both mean surrender or submit, so the meaning is yielding.

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
阝Written in full as阜fùhill, wall
Sound part声符shēngfú
夅
夅jiàng降xiáng
Same sound today

降 pairs 阝 (a hill or wall, written in full as 阜) with 夅, a sound part meaning 'to descend'; together they picture descending a hill.

Open 降 →

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 →

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