About
The character "伺" is constructed from the person radical "亻" alongside the component "司", which supplies both phonetic guidance and a semantic hint of management or supervision. Its original sense revolved around attending or waiting upon someone, often implying a servile posture as seen in classical texts. Over time, the meaning expanded to include the act of observing or watching with intent, sometimes stealthily, thus acquiring connotations of spying or vigilant scrutiny. This shift from denoting active personal service to encompassing passive or covert observation occurred without any structural alteration to the character itself, allowing it to maintain a consistent written form while its semantic applications diversified.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
妈妈在伺候奶奶吃饭。
他耐心地伺候着老人。
小猫伺机捕捉老鼠。
服务员伺机为客人添水。
她悉心伺候生病的丈夫。
投资者伺机进入市场。
他暗中伺察敌人的动向。
间谍伺机窃取机密文件。