救助

• Pinyin: jiù zhù
• Hanzi breakdown: 救 = 求 + 攵, to save; 助 = 且 + 力, to help/assist

Meaning

To help; to aid; to provide relief. Offering assistance to those in difficulty or distress.

Used for providing aid to people in need: disaster victims, the poor, or stranded individuals. Common in phrases like 社会救助 (social assistance), 救助站 (relief station), and 紧急救助 (emergency aid). More focused on providing support/relief than the physical rescue implied by 救援.

Examples

1. 政府设立了专项基金救助受灾群众，帮助他们重建家园。 The government established a special fund to aid disaster victims and help them rebuild their homes.
2. 这个慈善组织多年来一直致力于救助流浪动物。 This charity organization has been dedicated to rescuing stray animals for many years.
3. 他在最困难的时候得到了好心人的救助，现在他也想回馈社会。 He received help from kind people when he was at his most difficult, and now he also wants to give back to society.

Usage Guide

Context: charity, government, social

Tone: compassionate

Do Say

• 这笔捐款将用于救助贫困学生。(This donation will be used to help impoverished students.)
• 救助中心为流浪者提供免费餐食。(The relief center provides free meals for homeless people.)

Don't Say

• 混淆救助和救援 (救助 emphasizes providing ongoing aid/support; 救援 emphasizes rescuing from immediate danger)

Origin & History

Compound of 救 (to save) + 助 (to help). Together meaning to provide saving help/aid.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal