衣服
yīfú · HSK 1
clothes
👕 衣服 = 衣 (garment) + 服 (clothing/wear)
衣 is a pictograph of a robe with sleeves; 服 originally meant to submit/wear, now pairs with 衣 to form the everyday word for clothes. Both characters carry the clothing sense, making 衣服 a redundant compound that reinforces the meaning.
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.