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.
古の武士は主君の側に候ふことを誇りとした。
Ancient warriors took pride in serving by their lord's side.
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.
これは我が家にて候ふ。
This is at my house. (archaic polite)
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.
承り候ふ。
I humbly hear/understand. (archaic polite)
Also an archaic verb meaning to serve, but 侍ふ (さぶらう) is older and more directly related to 侍 (samurai). 候ふ (そうろう) developed later as a polite auxiliary and serving verb.
Modern polite copula; 候ふ was used in a similar grammatical role in classical Japanese.
Modern polite auxiliary verb; 候ふ served as its archaic equivalent.
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).