呼救 (hū jiù) — to call for help | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

呼救 is 'to call out for help,' usually by shouting — the shouted action itself. Use 求救 more broadly for sending any distress signal (radio, phone).

verb

to call for help

Examples

呼救。
Tā yù dào wēi xiǎn shí lì kè hū jiù.
He calls for help immediately when in danger.
呼救，。
Tīng dào yǒu rén hū jiù, tā mǎ shàng pǎo le guò qù.
Hearing someone call for help, he immediately ran over.
，呼救。
Rú guǒ mí lù le, qǐng hū jiù.
If you get lost, please call for help.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

呼 means call and 救 means help, so the word describes calling out for help.

Characters in this word

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

口乎呼

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

乎

乎hū呼hū

Same sound today

呼 uses 口 (mouth) to show exhaling, calling, or shouting, and 乎 gives the sound.

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

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

求qiú救jiù

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 救, 求 gives the sound, and 攴 is the action part.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Safety & Danger

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