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服 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
服fúclothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúdressHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúgarmentHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto serveHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto obeyHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto convinceHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto acclimatizeHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto take (medicine)HSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúmourning clothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto wear mourning clothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúdose (measure word for medicine)HSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medicineHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúTaiwan pr. [fu2]HSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto serve (in the military, a prison sentence etc)HSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fúto admireHSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùclothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùdressHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùgarmentHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto serveHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto obeyHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto convinceHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto acclimatizeHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto take (medicine)HSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùmourning clothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto wear mourning clothesHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùdose (measure word for medicine)HSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medicineHSK 6, v, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùTaiwan pr. [fu2]HSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto serve (in the military, a prison sentence etc)HSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
服fùto admireHSK 6, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 月, rank #2400, Hard
fú(fu2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1clothes
  2. 2dress
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

服fú(fu2)

The character 服 (fú) primarily means 'to wear' or 'to serve.' It is commonly used in contexts related to clothing, such as garments and dress, as well as in expressions of obedience or service, indicating a sense of submission or compliance. Additionally, it can refer to taking medicine, emphasizing the action of consuming or utilizing certain substances for health.

Strokes8Radical月Frequency#2400DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

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.

Memory Tip

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.

Meanings of 服

fú(fu2)
primary
1clothes
2dress
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 服

服Simplified
8Strokes
月Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2400Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 服

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Podcast: 服

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AI Study Notes for 服

Quick Contrast

穿 (chuān) - use 服 (fú) when emphasizing service or obedience, while 穿 (chuān) strictly refers to the action of wearing clothing.

Usage Notes

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.

HSK Study Tips

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.

Common Mistakes

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.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 服

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Etymology of 服

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a person being served a plate.

Memory Hint

A person 卩 putting on 又 a coat 月

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 服

Pictograph of a person being served a plate.

  1. 1The giveawayA person 卩 putting on 又 a coat 月
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 服? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 服?

Decomposition of 服

IDS Structure⿰月⿸卩又
服Full Character
=
月yue4
left
卩jie2
enclosing
又you4
inner
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 服?

How to say clothes in Chinese

“clothes” in Chinese is服fú

The character 服 (fú) primarily means 'to wear' or 'to serve.' It is commonly used in contexts related to clothing, such as garments and dress, as well as in expressions of obedience or service, indicating a sense of submission or compliance. Additionally, it can refer to taking medicine, emphasizing the action of consuming or utilizing certain substances for health.

When to use 服

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.

服 or something close to it

穿 (chuān) - use 服 (fú) when emphasizing service or obedience, while 穿 (chuān) strictly refers to the action of wearing clothing.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 服

服

Practice writing 服 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

你的衣____很好看。

Your clothes look great.

Example Sentences for 服 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我今天上午努力熨完了所有的衣服。

wǒ jīn tiān shàng wǔ nǔ lì yùn wán le suǒ yǒu de yī fú。

I managed to get all the ironing done this morning.
2
我之前建议成人服用的剂量可以降到1/2或者1/4。

wǒ zhī qián jiàn yì chéng rén fú yòng de jì liáng kě yǐ jiàng dào1/2 1/2 huò1/4。

The doses I suggested for adults could be halved or quartered.
3
我意识到我不得不克服语言障碍。

wǒ yì shí dào wǒ bù dé bù kè fú yǔ yán zhàng ài。

I realized I had to surmount the language barrier.
4
我坚决不向病毒屈服。

wǒ jiān jué bù xiàng bìng dú qū fú。

I was determined not to succumb to the virus.
5
面对遭征服的悲惨命运，他们保持了乐观的态度。

miàn duì zāo zhēng fú de bēi cǎn mìng yùn， ， tā mén bǎo chí le lè guān de tài。

They have maintained their optimism in the face of desolating subjugation.
6
你要服一粒维生素B胶囊。

nǐ yào fú yī lì wéi shēng sùB B jiāo。

You are asked to swallow a capsule containing vitamin B.
7
你一直穿你的旧衣服，直到穿烂了为止吗？

nǐ yī zhí chuān nǐ de jiù yī fú， ， zhí dào chuān làn le wéi zhǐ？

Do you wear your old clothes until they fall to pieces?
8
你不一定非要让唇膏的颜色同礼服完全搭配。

nǐ bù yī dìng fēi yào ràng chún gāo de yán sè tóng lǐ fú wán quán dā pèi。

You don't have to match your lipstick exactly to your outfit.
9
如果你一直在服用这些药，停药时一定要逐渐停。

rú guǒ nǐ yī zhí zài fú yòng zhè xiē yào， ， tíng yào shí yī dìng yào zhú jiàn。

If you take these drugs continuously, withdrawal must be tapered.
10
你不得不佩服梅利莎，她到哪里都吃得开。

nǐ bù dé bù pèi fú méi lì suō， ， tā dào nǎ lǐ dū chī dé。

You've got to hand it to Melissa, she certainly gets around.

Word Family of 服

Compounds4
箙
菔fu2turnip
鵩
棴
Words Containing This Character20
服务fúwùto serve服務
衣服yīfuclothes
服fúclothes
舒服shūfucomfortable
服装fúzhuāngdress服裝
说服shuōfúto persuade說服
克服kèfúto conquer
制服zhìfúto subdue
服务器fúwùqìserver (computer)服務器
服用fúyòngto take (medicine)
服务员fúwùyuánwaiter服務員
礼服lǐfúceremonial robe禮服
征服zhēngfúto conquer
服从fúcóngto comply服從
佩服pèifúto admire
服饰fúshìapparel服飾
服务生server (at a restaurant)服務生
服务业service industry服務業
不舒服unwell
服役to serve in the army
Exercise 1 of 4

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.

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