Clothing and submission with 服
服 means clothing as a standalone noun, read ふく. Its other senses include obeying or accepting, performing duties, observing mourning, and taking medicine.
Etymology
This kanji isa phono-semantic compound comprised of 舟 (boat) as the semantic component and 𠬝 as the phonetic component (フク).
Etymology Research
The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Multi-function Chinese Character Database treats 服 as a later phonosemantic development of 𠬝, an earlier graph associated with subduing and submission, with 凡 subsequently added. It describes some bronze forms as changing 凡 into a 舟-like shape. Qin and Han manuscript forms and the small-seal form retain 舟; the modern classification under 月 reflects a later graphic change. This history gives no reason to interpret today’s left side as the moon or flesh. CUHK, 服
Early uses and proposed origins need separate treatment. CUHK reports 服 as a place name in oracle-bone inscriptions and as an office or duty in bronze inscriptions. Its example from the 班簋 concerns a royal appointment to succeed another person’s office. These attestations do not by themselves prove a clothing or side-boat origin. CUHK also records Lin Jieming’s alternative account of a person presenting a tray in service, with serving as the original meaning. CUHK, 服
Shirakawa Shizuka’s Jitsu instead analyzes the left component as 舟 representing a ritual basin, an early form of 盤, and the right component as phonetic. It proposes a submission or service ritual before the basin and relates this to assigned duties and status. This is a named interpretation, not an agreed reconstruction. It differs from both the side-boat account already on this page and CUHK’s analysis involving added 凡. The accounts agree that the modern 月 shape is inadequate for explaining the character’s origin. Heibonsha, Jitsu, 服
Clothing
制服 (Uniform)
制服 means a uniform worn by members of a school, workplace, or organization.
It combines 制 (control / regulate) with 服 (clothing) to show regulated clothing.
While staying in Chino’s room during a storm, Cocoa looks over at Chino’s middle school uniform.
- ココア:
- 「じゃーんチノちゃんの制服着てみたよ！」
- “Ta-da, I tried putting on Chino-chan's uniform!”
洋服 (Western clothes)
洋服 is Western-style clothing. In everyday speech, it means clothes in general, in contrast with 和服, Japanese clothing.
It combines 洋 (Western / ocean) with 服 (clothes) to show Western clothing.
Lulu goes clothes shopping with her friends from class. The outfits at the clothing shop are glaring, but Kyouko tries one on and Lulu finds it very suited to her.
- ルル:
- 「ルルがいつも着ているようなお洋服とは違いすぎてビックリしちゃったけど」
- “They were so different from the clothes I usually wear that I was surprised, but...”
- 「こういう服が似合うのっていいなぁ」
- “It must be nice to look good in clothes like these.”
私服 (Plain clothes)
私服 is the clothes someone wears in private, as opposed to a school or work uniform.
It combines 私 (private) with 服 (clothes) to show personal clothing.
Kumada stops by the library to read up on bears, in hope of finding a solution to the bear living in his apartment. As he skims through some books, the foreigner who works at the local convenience store notices him.
- 熊田:
- 「バイトのユニフォームを私服に使ってるのか…」
- “She's using her part-time job uniform as her regular clothes, huh…”
夏服 (Summer clothes)
夏服 is clothing for hot weather. At school or work, it means the summer uniform.
It combines 夏 (summer) with 服 (clothes) to show clothes for summer.
Ayumu goes to the shogi club room after school. There, he and Urushi find they’ve both switched from their winter uniform to their summer uniform on the same day.
- 歩:
- 「センパイは夏服も似合いますね」
- “You look good in your summer uniform too.”
冬服 (Winter clothes)
冬服 is clothing for the cold season. At school or work, it means the winter uniform.
It combines 冬 (winter) with 服 (clothing) to show clothes for winter.
Winter has arrived, and Alicia and Akari have switched to wearing their winter uniforms. The two greet Aika outside.
- アリシア:
- 「冬服 よく似合ってるわね」
- “Your winter uniform looks really good on you.”
服 (Clothes)
服 is clothes, especially Western-style clothing.
Lulu goes clothes shopping with her friends from class. The outfits at the clothing shop are glaring, but Kyouko tries one on and Lulu finds it very suited to her.
- ルル:
- 「ルルがいつも着ているようなお洋服とは違いすぎてビックリしちゃったけど」
- “They were so different from the clothes I usually wear that I was surprised, but...”
- 「こういう服が似合うのっていいなぁ」
- “It must be nice to look good in clothes like these.”