服 (fú)

clothes; dress; garment; to serve (in the military, a prison sentence

Etymology

Combination of 凡 (plate) and subdue (𠬝). Based on the original meaning "serve" or "submit". 凡 alludes to serving a plate.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“服,用也。一曰車右騑,所以舟旋。从舟,聲。,古文服,从人。”

Original meaning

submit, serve

Components