附属
ふぞく · fuzoku · JLPT N2 · noun
attached
🔗 附 (attach) + 属 (belong) = attached to and belonging to a larger whole
附 means to attach or append, and 属 means to belong or be subordinate to. Together they describe something joined to a main body, like an affiliated school attached to a university.
附 — 阝(mound) + 付 (fù, give/attach)
A semantic-phonetic compound: the 阝 'mound/hill' radical hints at meaning while 付 'fù' supplies the sound. Originally referred to a small mound or hill附属 to a larger one, which extended to the modern senses 'attach, append, be near'.
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.'