Meaning of 支援
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to provide assistance
- to support
- to back
How to use 支援
支援 is used when one group sends people, money, or supplies to help another, often in disasters, work projects, or military contexts. It can be a verb or a noun. Example: 很多医生去灾区支援。(Hěn duō yīshēng qù zāiqū zhīyuán.) Many doctors went to the disaster area to help.
支 (zhī) means to prop up, and 援 (yuán) means to pull someone up with your hand, as in 救援 (jiùyuán). Picture one hand propping and another pulling, and you get help sent to someone who needs it.
Common mistake: Learners often use 支援 where 支持 (zhīchí) fits better. 支持 means to support an idea or person, like 我支持你 (Wǒ zhīchí nǐ), while 支援 means sending real help such as staff, money, or goods.
支援 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
支 zhī · to support · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
援 yuán · to assist · 12 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Related words
Words that share a character with 支援.
| 支持 | zhīchí | to be in favor of; to support |
| 支付 | zhīfù | to pay (money) |
| 支配 | zhīpèi | to control; to dominate |
| 支出 | zhīchū | to spend; to pay out; expenses; expenditure |
| 救援 | jiùyuán | to save; to support |
| 援助 | yuánzhù | to help; to support |
| 支撑 | zhīchēng | to prop up; to support |
| 支票 | zhīpiào | check (bank); cheque |
| 开支 | kāizhī | expenditures; expenses (CL:筆|笔[bi3],項|项[xiang4]); to spend money |
| 支柱 | zhīzhù | mainstay; pillar |
| 分支 | fēnzhī | branch (of company, river etc); to branch |
| 透支 | tòuzhī | (banking) to overdraw; to take out an overdraft |
Questions about 支援
What does 支援 mean?
支援 (zhīyuán) means "to provide assistance; to support" and is used as a verb and noun.
How do you write 支援?
支援 is made of 2 characters: 支 (4 strokes), 援 (12 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 支援 an HSK word?
Yes. 支援 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 支援 and 援助?
Both mean giving help, but 援助 (yuánzhù) often refers to aid like money or supplies, especially between countries. 支援 more often describes sending people or resources to back up a team, region, or project.
Can I say 支援我 to ask a friend for help?
It sounds too formal for everyday favors. With friends, use 帮我 (bāng wǒ) or 帮忙 (bāngmáng). Save 支援 for organized help, like 请求支援 (qǐngqiú zhīyuán), to request backup.