鼎力相助 (dǐng lì xiāng zhù) — (formal, polite) to offer generous assistance; to help with all one's might

Definition

A formal, written idiom used in polite requests or thanks to acknowledge someone giving maximum help. Common in speeches, official letters, and formal writing — not used in casual speech.

idiom
(formal, polite) to offer generous assistanceto help with all one's might

Examples

  • 鼎力相助。
    Gǎn xiè gè wèi zài xiàng mù zhōng dǐng lì xiāng zhù.
    Thank you all for your generous assistance in the project.
  • 鼎力相助，。
    Cǐ shì hái xū nín dǐng lì xiāng zhù, wǒ men cái néng shùn lì wán chéng.
    We still need your generous help with this matter to complete it smoothly.
  • 鼎力相助，。
    Chéng méng dǐng lì xiāng zhù, gōng sī cái dù guò nán guān.
    Thanks to your generous assistance, the company was able to weather the crisis.

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.

鼎力great strength
鼎dǐnggreat力lìstrength
偏正Modifier + head
相助help mutually
相xiāngmutual助zhùhelp
偏正Modifier + head

鼎 (great) and 力 (strength) give 'great strength', while 相 (mutual) and 助 (help) give 'help each other', together meaning to help generously.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 鼎 is a picture of an ancient bronze tripod cauldron, a vessel with three legs used for cooking or ritual.

Open 鼎 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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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