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Kotomora

服

clothing, admit, obey, discharge

JLPTN4StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • フク

Kun'yomi

—

Nanori

  • はっ
  • はつ
  • はら

Meaning

服 centers on clothing and the idea of wearing or submitting to something: clothes you put on, admitting or obeying as if accepting a garment, and discharging duties as part of wearing a role.

Most common words using 服

23 of 190
  • 服ふく
    N5

    clothes (esp. Western clothes); clothing; dress; costume; suit; outfit

  • 制服せいふく
    N1

    uniform

  • 服装ふくそう
    N3

    attire; dress; clothes; clothing; costume; garb

  • 洋服ようふく
    N5

    Western-style clothes (cf. traditional Japanese clothes)

  • 征服せいふく
    N1

    conquest; subjugation

  • 克服こくふく
    N3

    conquest (of a difficulty, illness, crisis, etc.); overcoming; surmounting; bringing under control

  • 衣服いふく
    N3

    clothes

  • セーラー服セーラーふく

    sailor suit; middy uniform

  • 服用ふくよう
    N1

    taking medicine; dosing

  • 私服しふく

    ordinary clothes (i.e. non-uniform); plain clothes; civilian clothes; casual wear; mufti

  • 服従ふくじゅう
    N1

    obedience; submission; resignation

  • 軍服ぐんぷく
    N1

    military uniform

  • 和服わふく
    N2

    Japanese clothes

  • 服役ふくえき

    penal servitude; serving time in prison

  • 呉服ごふく

    cloth (for Japanese clothes); kimono fabrics; textile; drapery; dry goods; piece goods

  • 不服ふふく
    N1

    dissatisfaction; discontent; disapproval; objection; complaint; protest; disagreement

  • 服飾ふくしょく
    N1

    clothing and accessories; attire

  • 喪服もふく

    mourning clothes; mourning attire; mourning dress

  • 礼服れいふく
    N1

    formal dress; ceremonial dress; morning dress; evening dress; dress suit

  • 着服ちゃくふく

    embezzlement; misappropriation; pocketing

  • 被服ひふく

    clothing

  • 承服しょうふく

    accepting; consenting; agreeing; submission; compliance; agreement; consent

  • 既製服きせいふく

    ready-made clothes; ready-to-wear clothes; off-the-rack clothes; off-the-peg clothes

Explore all words using 服 →

Study

Etymology

服 originally combined 舟 (boat) with a hand 又 and a kneeling person 卩, suggesting service or submission on a boat, later extended to clothing worn in service. The left side simplified to 月 in the modern form.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side looks like a body part 月, and the right side shows a hand 又 pressing down on a kneeling person 卩. Imagine clothing being pressed onto the body, like putting on a uniform that makes you obey and fulfill your duties.

Reading mnemonic

For フク, picture putting on a warm, fluffy coat: fuku -> フク, and the coat is clothing you wear to obey the cold weather.