下属
xià shǔ · HSK 7
subordinate
🧑💼 下 below + 属 belong = one who belongs below you = a subordinate
下 (xià) means below or under; 属 (shǔ) means to belong to a category or group. Put together, a 下属 is the person who belongs under you in the ranking — your underling or junior.
下 — horizontal line 一 + mark below
下 is an indicative character: a long horizontal line represents a reference level, and a shorter stroke placed beneath it points to the area below. The original meaning 'below, down' comes directly from this spatial diagram, and it later extended to verbs like 'descend' and 'lower'.
属 — radical 尸 (corpse/body) + 禹/蜀 phonetic component
Originally written 屬, depicting a tail-like form attached to a body, suggesting connection or belonging. The 尸 radical relates to body/posture, while the lower component carried the sound. Over time the meaning extended from 'to join/attach' to 'belong to,' 'category,' and 'kind.'