Meanings of 服
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About 服
Podcast: 服
Podcast: 服
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AI Study Notes for 服
穿 (chuān) - use 服 (fú) when emphasizing service or obedience, while 穿 (chuān) strictly refers to the action of wearing clothing.
Imagine a person wearing a traditional outfit (服) while serving a royal family. The top part of the character resembles a person (亻) standing in a way that suggests 'serving,' while the bottom part (服) looks like a flowing garment. The pronunciation 'fú' can remind you of 'food' which also requires 'serving' in a different context.
Be cautious with the tonal pronunciation of '服' (fú) as it is pronounced with a rising tone in Taiwan (fu2) which could lead to confusion. Common collocations include '服装' (fúzhuāng) for clothing and '服从' (fúcóng) meaning to obey. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts without additional qualifiers.
Although 服 is not directly listed in the HSK levels, it connects well with HSK vocabulary related to clothing (like 衣服 yīfú) and obedience (like服从 fúcóng). Students should focus on its versatile meanings, especially in different contexts such as fashion and service.
In Chinese culture, wearing mourning clothes (also termed 服) has deep significance, reflecting respect and sorrow during funerals, which is an important aspect of filial piety and cultural practices surrounding death.
Learners often confuse 服 (fú) with similar sounding characters like 付 (fù), which means 'to pay.' For instance, saying '我付这件衣服' (Wǒ fù zhè jiàn yīfú) instead of '我穿这件衣服' (Wǒ chuān zhè jiàn yīfú) would be incorrect, as it mixes up paying for clothes instead of wearing them.
Pronunciation of 服
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Etymology of 服
Pictograph of a person being served a plate.
A person 卩 putting on 又 a coat 月
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 服?
Decomposition of 服
Identify the Components
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Write 服
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Practice writing 服 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 服
服 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 15 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
你的衣____很好看。
Your clothes look great.
Example Sentences for 服 (10)
Cultural Notes for 服
In Chinese culture, wearing mourning clothes (also termed 服) has deep significance, reflecting respect and sorrow during funerals, which is an important aspect of filial piety and cultural practices surrounding death.
Word Family of 服
Compound Meaning
What does 菔 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 服
服 can mean to wear clothes, to serve, or to take medicine, depending on the context.