求助

• Pinyin: qiú zhù
• Hanzi breakdown: 求 = 求 (seek); 助 = 且 + 力 (assist/help — strength applied alongside another)

Meaning

To seek help; to ask for assistance; to appeal for aid when in difficulty or distress.

向…求助 (seek help from...) is the key construction. Used across formal and informal contexts when one is in genuine need. Common in crisis response, social welfare, and interpersonal communication.

Examples

1. 他在异乡遭遇困境，不得不向当地使馆求助。 When he ran into trouble in a foreign place, he had no choice but to seek help from the local embassy.
2. 遭受家庭暴力的受害者可以随时拨打热线电话求助。 Victims of domestic violence can call the hotline at any time to seek help.
3. 面对突如其来的重大事故，现场负责人立即向消防部门求助。 Faced with a sudden major accident, the person in charge at the scene immediately called the fire department for help.

Usage Guide

Context: social welfare, crisis response, interpersonal, official

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 遇到无法独立解决的问题时，及时向专业人士求助是理智之举。(When encountering problems that cannot be solved independently, seeking help from professionals in a timely manner is a wise course of action.)
• 该公益组织专门为陷入困境的流浪者提供临时庇护，并帮助他们向政府机构求助。(The non-profit organization specifically provides temporary shelter for homeless people in distress and helps them seek assistance from government agencies.)

Don't Say

• 他去图书馆求助找书 — use 咨询 for asking a librarian; 求助 implies genuine difficulty or distress, not a routine inquiry

Origin & History

求 (seek) + 助 (help/assistance) — to seek assistance from others

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal