Chinese character 仆

In Mandarin, 仆 expresses a fall headfirst.

Mandarin pinyin, the Latin-letter system for writing Mandarin pronunciation, spells this reading pū: an airy p followed by the “oo” vowel, on a high, level tone. It means falling headfirst, toppling, or lying prone; that sense appears in 仆倒 and 前仆後繼.

The Shuowen Jiezi, a Chinese character dictionary compiled around 100 CE, defines 仆 as a downward fall and analyzes 卜 as its sound element after 人. This fall sense has a separate history from the servant line written with 仆 in simplified Chinese.

Why does 仆 mean servant?

In simplified Chinese, 仆 can also mean “servant.”

Mandarin pinyin writes the servant reading pú: the same airy p and “oo” vowel as pū, but with a rising tone. In this meaning, simplified Chinese uses 仆 for traditional 僕. Older Chinese used 僕 for a servant or driver; classical writers also used it as a humble way to say “I.”

These are separate character histories that meet at one simplified shape; the fall sense is not a metaphor for a servant. In 仆人, the surrounding word makes the servant meaning clear.

Is 仆街 rude to send?

Yes. In Cantonese, 仆街 is vulgar slang.

As of 2026, 仆街 ranges from a literal fall in the street to looming trouble, a vicious insult, or “go to hell.” Its fall-plus-street wording helps explain that range, but does not make the expression polite.