() — (bound form) teacher, instructor (as in 师傅, 太傅); (bound form) to apply (as in 傅粉); a surname

Definition

Bound morpheme (always part of a longer word): 师傅 means 'master/skilled worker' and 太傅 the imperial 'tutor'. Also a surname.

bound form
teacherinstructor (as in 师傅, 太傅)to apply (as in 傅粉)a surname

Examples

  • Wǒ de shī fù hěn yǒu jīng yàn.
    My master is very experienced.
  • Gǔ dài de tài fù shì huáng dì de lǎo shī.
    In ancient times, the grand tutor was the emperor's teacher.
  • Wǒ men gōng sī de jīng lǐ xìng fù.
    Our company's manager's surname is Fu.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
Written in full asrénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

傅 is built from 亻, a standing person, beside 尃, which supplies the sound fū.

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