克服
kèfú · HSK 3
conquer
💪 克 = overcome/subdue + 服 = submit/yield; together: force it to submit
克 carries the sense of conquering or restraining, while 服 means to submit or yield. Combined, 克服 means to make a difficulty submit — to overcome or conquer hardship through effort.
克 — top 十 + brother 兄 (helmeted figure)
Originally a pictograph of a person bearing a heavy helmet or burden on the head, suggesting the strength needed to carry or subdue a load. From 'to bear a weight' it extended to 'overcome, conquer, subdue,' and later 'to be able to.' The modern shape blends 十 above 兄.
服 — 月 (moon/flesh) + 𠬝 (kneeling figure with hand)
Originally depicted a hand subduing a kneeling person beside a boat (later simplified to 月), suggesting submission or service. The meaning extended from 'submit/serve' to 'clothing' (what one wears in service) and 'to take' as in medicine. The phonetic role of 𠬝 helps fix the reading fú.