The word 服从 is formed by combining two independent characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, composite concept. The first character, 服, originally depicted a hand compelling a kneeling figure, carrying the essential idea of submission or service. The second, 从, is a pictograph of one person following another, representing the act of following or obeying. When placed together, their meanings merge conceptually: the notion of "submitting" (服) is directed specifically into the act of "following" (从), crystallizing into the single idea of "to obey" or "compliance", where one aligns their will to that of another.