About
The character 侍 is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the person radical 人 on the left, denoting human association, and the component 寺 on the right, which functions phonetically and originally signified a "court" or "government office". Etymologically, this structure conveyed the idea of a person serving in an official or courtly setting, giving rise to its early meanings of "to serve", "attend upon", or "attendant". Over centuries, the character's semantic range centered on service, with the verb sense of waiting upon or attending to someone persisting, while nominal uses extended to specific roles such as 侍从 (retinue) or 侍女 (maidservant), reflecting its consistent application to denote subordination or assistance in both formal and personal contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他细心地侍候病人。
侍女每天打扫房间。
侍卫保护国王的安全。
她在餐厅侍应客人。
这位护士侍奉老人多年。
他立志侍奉父母，直到他们老去。
在古代，侍女必须严格遵守礼仪。
如果侍卫失职，整个皇宫的安全都会受到威胁。