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救星 (jiù xīng) — savior, liberator, deliverer (someone who rescues you from trouble)

Definition

Literally 'rescue star' — a person who saves you from a desperate situation. Stronger and more dramatic than 帮手, with a sense of a last hope or turning point.

noun
saviorliberatordeliverer (someone who rescues you from trouble)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，救星。
    Zài wǒ zuì kùn nan de shí hou, tā shì wǒ de jiù xīng.
    When I was in my most difficult time, he was my savior.
  • 救星。
    Zhè wèi yī shēng zhēn shì bìng rén de jiù xīng.
    This doctor is truly a savior for patients.
  • ，救星。
    Tā jí shí chū xiàn, chéng le wǒ men de jiù xīng.
    He appeared in time and became our savior.

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.

救jiùrescue
星xīngstar

救 means rescue and 星 means star, together picturing a star that saves, a savior.

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.

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.

Open 救 →

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

The top of 星 is a later simplified form of 晶, twinkling stars; the bottom 生 shows the sound.

Open 星 →
Appears in
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