互帮互助 (hù bāng hù zhù) — to help each other; mutual aid and support

Definition

A set phrase meaning people actively help one another, emphasizing the back-and-forth. Both 帮 and 助 mean 'help'; the reduplication 互…互 stresses the mutual exchange.

verb
to help each othermutual aid and support

Examples

  • ，互帮互助，。
    Zài zhè jiā gōng sī, yuán gōng zhī jiān hù bāng hù zhù, gòng tóng jìn bù.
    In this company, employees help each other and progress together.
  • 互帮互助。
    hù bāng hù zhù Shì wǒ men shè qū de zhòng yào jīng shén.
    Mutual help is an important spirit in our community.
  • 互帮互助，。
    Dà jiā hù bāng hù zhù, hěn kuài jiù wán chéng le rèn wu.
    Everyone helped each other and quickly finished the task.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

互帮help mutually
互hùmutually帮bānghelp
偏正Modifier + head
互助aid mutually
互hùmutually助zhùassist
偏正Modifier + head

互帮 means help each other and 互助 means aid each other, forming mutual help and support.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 幫; 帮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
帛帛bósilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
封
封fēng幫bāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 帮's traditional form 幫, 帛 (silk) gives the meaning and 封 gives the sound; it originally named the upper part of a shoe.

Open 帮 →

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 →

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