Chinese word

伺候

Pronunciation

Pinyincì hòu

Meaning

  • verblook after

Example

他在家里伺候老人。tā zài jiā lǐ cì hòu lǎo rén

He looks after an elderly person at home.

Illustration for 伺候 (look after)

More examples

服务员在宴会上一直伺候客人。fú wù yuán zài yàn huì shàng yì zhí cì hòu kè rén

The waiter kept attending to the guests throughout the banquet.

Core concept

A caregiver remains at a person's side and responds to the person's needs, from companionship to personal daily care.

Common phrases

  • 贴身伺候tiē shēn cì hòu

    personally attend to

  • 伺候老人cì hòu lǎo rén

    look after the elderly

  • 伺候病人cì hòu bìng rén

    look after the sick

Similar words

护理hù lǐ: Providing professional nursing and support for a sick person's recovery.
照顾zhào gù: Taking care of a person's everyday needs and giving practical help.
照料zhào liào: Providing attentive care for a person's daily needs and health.
服侍fú shì: Attending to another person's personal needs and staying by their side.

Definition in Chinese

为病人或需要帮助的人提供看护、陪伴和起居照料，侧重于贴身的护理或照顾。wèi bìng rén huò xū yào bāng zhù de rén tí gōng kān hù péi bàn hé qǐ jū zhào liào cè zhòng yú tiē shēn de hù lǐ huò zhào gù

Word origin

伺候 (cìhòu, "attend and care for") developed from the service-related senses of 伺 (cì, "attend to") and 候 (hòu, "wait and watch"), linking watchfulness with personal care.

Usage tips

  • English often extends the same verb to houses and pets, whereas this Chinese verb normally centers on a person receiving close, hands-on care.

Other meanings

  • nurseverb
  • wait onverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word