助 meaning and stroke order
To help, to aid, to assist
How to write 助, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Meaning of 助
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to help
- to assist
How 助 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Strength.
力 gives the meaning and 且 hints at the sound.
Radical: 力 (strength), shared by 44 characters on this site.
How to remember 助
助 is pictophonetic: 力 (lì, strength) on the right gives the meaning, and 且 (qiě) on the left hints at the sound. Think of lending your strength 力 to someone to help them.
助 rarely stands alone in speech. It usually appears in compounds like 帮助 (bāngzhù, to help) or 助手 (zhùshǒu, helper). Example: 谢谢你的帮助。(Xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù.) Thank you for your help.
Common mistake: Learners often swap the sides and put 力 on the left, or confuse 助 with 姐 (jiě), which shares 且 but has 女 instead of 力. Also remember the fourth tone: zhù, not zhū.
Common words with 助
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 帮助 | bāngzhù | assistance; aid; to help; to assist | HSK 2 |
| 赞助 | zànzhù | to sponsor; to provide financial or material support | HSK 4 |
| 助理 | zhùlǐ | assistant | HSK 5 |
| 助手 | zhùshǒu | assistant; helper | HSK 5 |
| 资助 | zīzhù | to subsidize; to provide financial aid | HSK 5 |
| 辅助 | fǔzhù | to assist; to aid; supplementary; auxiliary | HSK 5 |
| 协助 | xiézhù | to provide assistance; to aid | HSK 6 |
| 援助 | yuánzhù | to help; to support | HSK 6 |
| 救助 | jiùzhù | to help sb in trouble; aid | HSK 6 |
| 补助 | bǔzhù | to subsidize; subsidy | HSK 6 |
| 捐助 | juānzhù | to donate; to offer (aid) | HSK 6 |
| 求助 | qiúzhù | to request help; to appeal (for help) | HSK 7-9 |
| 有助于 | yǒuzhùyú | to contribute to; to promote | HSK 7-9 |
| 借助 | jièzhù | to draw support from; with the help of | HSK 7-9 |
助 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 助
Learning 助 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 助
How many strokes are in 助?
助 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 助 mean?
助 (zhù) means to help, to aid, to assist. A common word with it is 帮助 (bāngzhù), meaning "assistance; aid; to help; to assist".
How do you pronounce 助?
助 is pronounced zhù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 助?
The radical of 助 is 力, which carries the idea of "strength". Dictionaries list 助 under this radical.
Is 助 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 助 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 帮助 and 帮忙?
帮助 (bāngzhù) can take a direct object and also works as a noun, as in 帮助他 or 你的帮助. 帮忙 (bāngmáng) cannot take a direct object, so you say 帮他的忙 or 帮个忙, not 帮忙他.
How is 助理 different from 助手?
助理 (zhùlǐ) is a more formal job title, like an office or executive assistant. 助手 (zhùshǒu) is a general word for anyone who helps you with a task, such as a helper in a lab or kitchen.