How to say "serve" in Japanese

• サーブCommon
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe sports term: the act of serving in tennis, volleyball or similar games. It is a loanword used only for this athletic sense, never for serving food, drinks or an employer.
  ウィンブルドンでは、現在げんざい、サーブを判定はんていするための特別とくべつな電子でんし機器ききがある。↗

  At Wimbledon there are now special electronic machines to judge the serves.
• 勤めるつとめるJLPT N5approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbTo be employed at or work for a company, office or other organization. This is the usual word for the 'serve in a position' sense, covering ordinary employment rather than personal service to a superior.
  私の父ちちは外務省がいむしょうに勤つとめている。↗

  My father serves in the Foreign Ministry.
• さすJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTo pour or serve drinks such as tea, sake or coffee into a cup or glass. Usually written in kana. For 'serve' in the sense of handing someone a drink, this is the word you want.
• 盛るもるJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbTo serve food by putting it in a bowl or on a plate, or to dish it out and fill the bowl. Use this for plating or portioning food, not for drinks or employment.
• 仕えるつかえるJLPT N1approx.Common
  ichidan verb, intransitive verbTo serve or attend a master, lord or other superior, or to work for someone in a personal capacity. It suggests devoted personal service rather than ordinary employment, for which 勤める is the usual choice.
  コックは家族かぞくに長年ながねん仕つかえた。↗

  The cook served the family for many years.

Use 「サーブ」 for tennis/volleyball serves, 「勤める」 for being employed somewhere, 「さす」 for pouring drinks, 「盛る」 for dishing food onto plates, and 「仕える」 for serving a lord or master.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• サーブserve
• 勤めるつとめるto work (for)
• さすto pour
• 盛るもるto serve (in a bowl, on a plate, etc.)
• 仕えるつかえるto serve
• 食わすくわすto feed (e.g. an animal on oats)
• 上せるのぼせるto raise
• よそうto serve
• 適うかなうto suit (one's needs, tastes, purpose, etc.)
• よそるto serve
• 仕え奉るつかえまつるto serve
• はべるto wait upon
• かしずくto wait upon
• 侍するじするto wait upon
• 酌むくむto pour (sake)
• 侍らすはべらすto wait upon
• 食わせるくわせるto feed (e.g. an animal on oats)
• 出してくれるだしてくれるto take out (e.g. garbage)
• 相勤めるあいつとめるto work (for)
• 忠誠を尽くすちゅうせいをつくすto be loyal to
• 取り分けるとりわけるto distribute
• 上すのぼすto raise
• 足りるたりるto do (the job)
• 尽くすつくすto devote oneself (to)
• 接するせっするto receive (e.g. visitor)
• 飲ますのますto serve (alcohol)
• 足るたるto do (the job)
• 服するふくするto serve (in the army, a prison sentence, etc.)
• 打ち出しうちだしserve (e.g. in tennis)
• 飲ませるのませるto serve (alcohol)
• 見えるまみえるto serve (esp. as one's wife)
• 供するきょうするto serve (food and drink)
• 付き従うつきしたがうto serve
• 供すきょうすto serve (food and drink)
• 服すふくすto serve (in the army, a prison sentence, etc.)
• 奉ずるほうずるto obey
• 奉じるほうじるto obey
• 出すだすto serve (food)
• 上がるあがるto serve (in one's master's home)
• 従うしたがうto serve (as)
• サービスservice (e.g. in tennis)
• 差すさすto pour