伺服 (sì fú) — (technical) to serve (as in a servo mechanism); to provide feedback control

Definition

Technical term for a servo (motor or system) that uses feedback to precisely control position, speed, or motion — not the everyday sense of 'to serve/attend'.

verb
(technical) to serve (as in a servo mechanism)to provide feedback control

Examples

  • 伺服。
    Zhè ge sì fú diàn jī fēi cháng jīng què.
    This servo motor is very precise.
  • 伺服。
    Wǒ men gōng sī zhuān mén shēng chǎn sì fú xì tǒng.
    Our company specializes in producing servo systems.
  • 伺服。
    Zhè zhǒng sì fú kòng zhì jì shù hěn xiān jìn.
    This kind of servo control technology is very advanced.

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.

伺sìwait upon
服fúserve

伺 and 服 both mean to attend or serve, so together they express serving or feedback control.

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
人人rénperson, man
Sound part声符shēngfú
司
司sī伺cì
Same sound today

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.

Open 伺 →

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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