service

Original meaning: 

to command

Depicts a person () being controlled by a weapon (). Based on the original meaning "to command". The meaning later shifted to "servant" and "service".

Components
亻 iconic component

  Iconic component

rén

  

person

Depicts a person. Modern form looks like unrelated .

殳 iconic component

  Iconic component

shū

  

weapon or tool

Evolution

役 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
役 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
役 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
役 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
役 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

service; a servant, laborer; to serve; forced labor; corvée; obligatory task; military service; to use as servant; to enserf; servant (old); war; campaign; battle

Most common words with 役
Freq.
Word
Meaning

战役

military campaign

退役

to demobilize

服役

to serve in the army

corvée

奴役

to enslave

Component uses

Sound component in 1 character (1 verified)

Remnant component in 1 character (1 verified)