The kanji 伏 primarily conveys the idea of "to lie down," "to hide," or "to be concealed." It often implies a state of being prone, subdued, or hidden from view. It can also suggest a posture of submission or concealment. The underlying core meaning is related to a state of being brought low or hidden.

・On-yomi (音読み): フク (fuku) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ふ（せる） (fuseru - to lay down, to prostrate), ふ（す） (fusu - to lie down, to be hidden)

⚫︎ 伏兵 Translation: Ambush; hidden soldiers. ⚫︎ 伏線 Translation: Foreshadowing; a hidden implication. ⚫︎ 降伏 Translation: Surrender.

The kanji 伏 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is the radical 人(ninben, meaning "person") and on the right side is the phonetic component 付(fu), which provides the sound and also has a meaning related to attachment or connection. The combination suggests a person being subdued or lying down, indicating the core meaning of being prone or hidden. Historically, it evolved from an earlier form representing a person bent down or hiding.