补助金 (bǔ zhù jīn) — subsidy; grant-in-aid

Definition

noun
subsidygrant-in-aid

Examples

  • 补助金。
    Zhèng fǔ wèi dī shōu rù jiā tíng tí gōng bǔ zhù jīn.
    The government provides subsidies for low-income families.
  • 补助金。
    Gōng sī gěi yuán gōng fā fàng le zhù fáng bǔ zhù jīn.
    The company distributed housing subsidies to employees.
  • 补助金。
    Zhè bǐ bǔ zhù jīn yòng yú zhī chí jiào yù shì yè.
    This subsidy is used to support education.

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.

补助aid
补bǔassist助zhùhelp
联合Side by side
金jīnmoney

补助 is aid, and 金 is the money given as that aid.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 補; 补 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ補bǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 補 shows 衤 (clothes) beside 甫, which gives the sound; the simplified 补 is a later shorthand, so its shape is not the historical breakdown.

Open 补 →

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.

金 was drawn with marks for two pieces of metal, along with a part that gave its sound; it first meant copper, then metals and gold.

Open 金 →

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