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互助 (Hù zhù) — to help each other, mutual aid

Definition

verb
to help each othermutual aid
Easily confused

Examples

  • 互助。
    Wǒ men gōng sī tí chàng Hù zhù jīng shén.
    Our company promotes a spirit of mutual aid.
  • ，互助。
    Yù dào kùn nan shí, dà jiā yīng gāi Hù zhù.
    When encountering difficulties, everyone should help each other.
  • 。
    Tā men jiàn lì le yí gè Hù zhù zǔ zhī.
    They established a mutual aid organization.

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hùmutually
助zhùhelp

'互' says the help is mutual, and '助' means help.

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Friends & Social

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