yodan verb with 'hu/fu' ending (archaic), intransitive verb
to serve (by a superior's side)
Only when written 候ふ
Archaic intransitive verb meaning to attend or serve in a respectful, often courtly context. Restricted to the spelling 候ふ.
auxiliary verb, yodan verb with 'hu/fu' ending (archaic)
Archaic polite auxiliary verb used in place of ある after で or に to form a copula. Equivalent to modern であります or でございます.
auxiliary verb, yodan verb with 'hu/fu' ending (archaic)
Archaic polite auxiliary verb used in place of ます. Attaches to the continuative form of verbs to express polite action.
I humbly hear/understand. (archaic polite)
Ancient warriors took pride in serving by their lord's side.
This is at my house. (archaic polite)
Archaic kanji spelling with historical kana usage; the okurigana ふ reflects the classical Yodan verb ending.
Irregular okurigana usage; the same kanji without ふ is also attested in historical texts.
Derived from classical Japanese 候ふ (そうろう), originally meaning 'to serve' and later grammaticalized into a polite auxiliary. The reading そうろう is a sound shift from earlier さぶらふ (侍ふ).