互助组 (hù zhù zǔ) — mutual-aid group; mutual-aid team

Definition

互助组 is a small, organized team formed by people who pool labor or resources to help each other — usually in agricultural, work, or community settings. A concrete, institutional unit rather than an informal network.

noun
mutual-aid groupmutual-aid team
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 互助组。
    Zhè ge hù zhù zǔ chéng lì yú shàng shì jì wǔ shí nián dài.
    This mutual-aid group was established in the 1950s.
  • 互助组，。
    Tā men jiā rù le dāng dì de hù zhù zǔ, yì qǐ jiě jué shēng chǎn nán tí.
    They joined the local mutual-aid group to solve production problems together.
  • 互助组，。
    hù zhù zǔ De chéng yuán hù xiāng bāng zhù, gòng tóng jìn bù.
    Members of the mutual-aid group help each other and progress together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

互助mutual help
互hùmutual助zhùhelp
偏正Modifier + head
组zǔgroup

互助 (mutual help) and 组 (group) form a group built on helping one another.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The form 互 is a tooth shape with a distinguishing mark added.

Open 互 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrong arm
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě助zhù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

助 pairs 力, a strong arm, with 且, which gives the sound; the meaning is help with strength.

Open 助 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 組; 组 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě組zǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 組 pairs 糸 (silk) with 且 as a sound part; the simplified 组 is a shorthand.

Open 组 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.