How to Write 侍 (shì) — Meaning “to serve; to attend to”

Picture a person (亻) standing attentively at a temple (寺), ready to serve any visitors. This image of a waiter in a temple helps link the visual components to the meaning of service.

Write the left radical 亻 first (2 strokes), then the right part 寺 (6 strokes). A common mistake is to forget the top horizontal stroke in 寺—the top part is 土 (earth), not just 一, so keep three horizontal lines.

侍 has the right component 寺 (temple) and means "to serve." 仰 (yǎng) uses 卬 on the right and means "to look up," while 仲 (zhòng) uses 中 and means "middle" or "second." Focus on the right-side parts to tell them apart.

侍 appears in words like 侍者 (waiter) and 侍候 (to wait upon), often in service or hospitality settings. Culturally, it reflects traditional hierarchical roles where people served superiors, such as attendants in ancient courts or temples.

Common words containing 侍 include: 侍者 (shì zhě) — attendant; waiter; 侍候 (shì hòu) — to wait upon; to serve; 服侍 (fú shì) — to wait upon.