Meaning
The kanji 服 is a common N4 character that most students first learn as the word for "clothing." However, its usage extends into two other important areas: obedience and medical dosages. These meanings are actually linked through history. In ancient Japan and China, the clothes you wore indicated your social rank and your submission to the hierarchy. To wear the "clothing" of a specific role was to accept or obey that role's duties. This idea of "accepting" also explains why the kanji is used for taking medicine.
Etymologically, the kanji consists of two parts. The left radical is ⺼ (nikuzuki), which looks like a moon but represents "flesh" or the body. The right side 𠬝 shows a hand (又) pressing down on a person who is kneeling. Originally, this ideograph represented forcing someone to submit. Over time, the meaning evolved from "submission" to "the garments worn by subordinates," and finally to a general term for all clothing. Today, it is also used as a counter for doses of powdered medicine or tea (一服 - ippuku).
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
Learners will find 服 relatively easy to remember because it almost always uses a single On'yomi reading. You will encounter this reading in words ranging from daily fashion to legal protests.
- フク (fuku) — This is the standard reading for nearly every compound. Whether you are talking about a school uniform or overcoming a challenge, the pronunciation remains the same.
Example words for フク:
洋服 (youfuku) — Western-style clothing
克服 (kokufuku) — Conquest or overcoming an obstacle
不服 (fufuku) — Dissatisfaction or objection
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
服 does not have a commonly used native Japanese reading (kun'yomi). While most kanji have a native verb or noun associated with them, 服 is an exception. In modern Japanese, the word for clothing is simply the On'yomi reading ふく (fuku). This lack of multiple readings makes it one of the simpler N4 kanji to master in reading exercises.
Common Words & Compounds
Compounds using 服 typically fall into three categories: clothing, compliance, and medicine. Grouping them this way makes the vocabulary much easier to digest.
Clothing and Fashion
These are the most frequent words in daily life. Japan often distinguishes between Western and traditional styles.
- 洋服 (youfuku) — Western-style clothes (everyday attire like jeans or suits).
- 和服 (wafuku) — Japanese-style clothes, such as a kimono.
- 制服 (seifuku) — A uniform, commonly used for schools or police.
- 私服 (shifuku) — Private or "plain" clothes (not a uniform).
- 礼服 (reifuku) — Formal or ceremonial dress used for weddings or funerals.
Obedience and Submission
These words reflect the kanji's historical roots of yielding to authority or a situation.
- 不服 (fufuku) — An objection or a formal protest against a decision.
- 克服 (kokufuku) — To conquer a disease or overcome a difficult hardship.
- 屈服 (kuppuku) — Yielding or surrendering under pressure.
Medical Usage
In a medical context, 服 refers specifically to the consumption of internal medicine.
- 服用 (fukuyou) — The act of taking medicine (literally "using" the dose).
- 内服薬 (naifukuyaku) — Internal medicine (pills or liquids meant to be swallowed).
Example Sentences
新しい服を買いに行きましょう。
atarashii fuku wo kai ni ikimashou.
Let's go buy some new clothes.
この学校の制服はとてもかわいいです。
kono gakkou no seifuku wa totemo kawaii desu.
The uniforms at this school are very cute.
薬を服用するときは、ぬるま湯で飲んでください。
kusuri wo fukuyou suru toki wa, nurumayu de nonde kudasai.
When taking your medicine, please drink it with lukewarm water.
彼女はついにその弱点を克服しました。
kanojo wa tsuini sono jakuten wo kokufuku shimashita.
She finally overcame her weakness.
裁判の結果に不服を申し立てます。
saiban no kekka ni fufuku wo moushitatemasu.
I will lodge a formal objection to the court's decision.
今日は休みなので、私服で出勤してもいいです。
kyou wa yasumi na node, shifuku de shukkin shitemo ii desu.
Since it's a holiday, it's okay to come to work in casual clothes.
Related Kanji
- 病 — Sickness, Illness, Disease (Kanji N4)
- 便 — Convenience, Facility, Communication (Kanji N4)
- 飯 — Meal, Cooked Rice, Food (Kanji N4)
- 計 — Plan, Measure, Calculate (Kanji N4)
- 待 — Wait, Await, Expect (Kanji N4)
- 昼 — Daytime, Noon, Midday (Kanji N4)
Memory Tip
Think of the left side ⺼ as your body (flesh). The right side looks like a person being pressed down by a hand. Imagine you are "pressing" or fitting your body into a tight uniform. Because you must follow the rules, you obey the dress code and accept the dose of medicine the doctor gives you. This one story links clothing, obedience, and medicine together.