waiter, samurai, wait upon, serve
侍 centers on a person in a dedicated service role: a samurai serving a lord, or a waiter attending to guests. The core idea is waiting upon and serving someone.
侍 combines 亻 (person) with 寺, which likely contributes the sound and carries an idea of attending or serving. The character originally referred to a person who waits upon or serves a superior.
A person 亻 beside a temple 寺: imagine a samurai or waiter standing by a temple, ready to serve.
For ジ, picture a samurai serving tea with a gentle "Gee, let me help you" — the "Gee" sound cues ジ while the samurai waits upon his lord.
warrior (esp. of military retainers of daimyos in the Edo period); samurai
lady attendant; female servant; lady's maid; waiting maid
attendant; attendance upon another
chamberlain
to wait upon; to serve
court physician
Seven Samurai (film by Akira Kurosawa)
low-ranking samurai; samurai of the lowest rank
man in attendance (on a person of high standing); retainer
to wait upon; to serve
to attend (a person of high rank); to wait upon (e.g. a noble); to serve
to wait upon; to serve
to have someone wait upon one; to have someone by one's side; to keep in attendance (e.g. aides, mistresses)
to wait upon; to serve
Samurai Japan (national baseball team)
acolyte
respectfully
samurai general (esp. during the Sengoku period)
concubine; mistress
lady-in-waiting; female attendant