救 meaning and stroke order
To save; to assist; to rescue
How to write 救, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 救
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to save
- to assist
- to rescue
- variant of 救[jiu4]
How 救 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
攵 gives the meaning and 求 hints at the sound.
Radical: 攵 (to rap), shared by 36 characters on this site.
How to remember 救
救 is pictophonetic: 求 (qiú, to beg or plead) gives the sound, and 攵 (a hand holding a stick, here hinting at action) gives the meaning. Picture someone begging 求 for help, and a hand 攵 reaching out to save them.
救 is a verb meaning to save or rescue, used for people, lives, and situations. It appears in many fixed words like 救命 (jiùmìng), 急救 (jíjiù), and 救护车 (jiùhùchē). Example: 他救了一个孩子。(Tā jiù le yí ge háizi.) He saved a child.
Common mistake: Learners often write the left part as 永 or forget the dot on the upper right of 求. Also, do not confuse 救 (jiù, fourth tone) with 就 (jiù), which sounds the same but means "then" or "right away".
Common words with 救
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 抢救 | qiǎngjiù | to rescue | HSK 5 |
| 救灾 | jiùzāi | to relieve disaster; to help disaster victims | HSK 5 |
| 救命 | jiùmìng | to save sb's life; (interj.) Help! | HSK 6 |
| 救援 | jiùyuán | to save; to support | HSK 6 |
| 急救 | jíjiù | to give emergency treatment; first aid | HSK 6 |
| 救助 | jiùzhù | to help sb in trouble; aid | HSK 6 |
| 拯救 | zhěngjiù | to save; to rescue | HSK 7-9 |
| 救护车 | jiùhùchē | ambulance | HSK 7-9 |
| 挽救 | wǎnjiù | to save; to remedy | HSK 7-9 |
| 求救 | qiújiù | to seek help (when in distress or having difficulties) | HSK 7-9 |
| 解救 | jiějiù | to rescue; to help out of difficulties | HSK 7-9 |
| 营救 | yíngjiù | to rescue | HSK 7-9 |
| 补救 | bǔjiù | to remedy | HSK 7-9 |
| 救济 | jiùjì | emergency relief; to help the needy with cash or goods | HSK 7-9 |
救 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 救
How many strokes are in 救?
救 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 救 mean?
救 (jiù) means to save; to assist; to rescue. A common word with it is 抢救 (qiǎngjiù), meaning "to rescue".
How do you pronounce 救?
救 is pronounced jiù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 救?
The radical of 救 is 攵, which carries the idea of "to rap". Dictionaries list 救 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 救?
The traditional form of 救 is 捄. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 救 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 救 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 救 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
How do you shout "Help" in Chinese?
People shout 救命 (jiùmìng), literally "save a life". You can also hear 救命啊 (jiùmìng a) in an emergency.
What is the difference between 救 and 帮 (bāng)?
帮 means to help in everyday situations, like carrying a bag. 救 is stronger and means to rescue someone from danger, illness, or serious trouble.