救

救	U+6551, 救 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6551

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

救 (Kangxi radical 66, 攴+7, 11 strokes, cangjie input 戈水人大 (IEOK), four-corner 4814₀, composition ⿰求攵)

Derived characters

𭛾, 𭫣, 𰪔, 慦, 𤨣

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 471, character 9
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13221
Dae Jaweon: page 823, character 9
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1460, character 1
Unihan data for U+6551

Chinese

simp. and trad.		救

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (求) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
救	*kus
求	*ɡu
球	*ɡu
逑	*ɡu
賕	*ɡu
蛷	*ɡu
莍	*ɡu
殏	*ɡu
梂	*ɡu
俅	*ɡu
脙	ɡu, qʰu
絿	*ɡu
銶	*ɡu
毬	*ɡu
捄	ɡu, ko
觩	*ɡu

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kus) : phonetic 求 (OC *ɡu) + semantic 攴.

Etymology

Likely cognate with Burmese ကူ (ku, “to help”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): jiù (jiu⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): gau³
Gan (Wiktionary): jiu⁴
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): kiu
Jin (Wiktionary): jiou³
Northern Min (KCR): giù
Eastern Min (BUC): géu
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): kiù

(Teochew, Peng'im): giu³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiù
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jiòu
  - Wade–Giles: chiu⁴
  - Yale: jyòu
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiow
  - Palladius: цзю (czju)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: gau³
  - Yale: gau
  - Cantonese Pinyin: gau³
  - Guangdong Romanization: geo³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐu̯³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: jiu⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiu³⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiu
  - Hakka Romanization System: giu
  - Hagfa Pinyim: giu⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ki̯u⁵⁵/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: jiou³
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiəu⁴⁵/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: giù
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁴²/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: géu
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiɛu²¹³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kiù
  - Tâi-lô: kiù
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kiux
  - IPA (Xiamen): /kiu²¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kiu⁴¹/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /kiu²¹/
  - IPA (Taipei): /kiu¹¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /kiu²¹/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: giu³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kiù
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu²¹³/

Middle Chinese: kjuwH

Rime
Character	救
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	尤 (136)
Tone (調)	Departing (H)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	居祐切
Baxter	kjuwH
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɨu^H/
Pan Wuyun	/kiu^H/
Shao Rongfen	/kiəu^H/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/kuw^H/
Li Rong	/kiu^H/
Wang Li	/kĭəu^H/
Bernard Karlgren	/ki̯ə̯u^H/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiù
Expected Cantonese Reflex	gau³

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*s.k(r)u-s/

(Zhengzhang): /*kus/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	救
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	jiù
Middle Chinese	‹ kjuw^H ›
Old Chinese	/*s.k(r)u-s/
English	help, save
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	救
Reading #	1/1
No.	10559
Phonetic component	求
Rime group	幽
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	救
Old Chinese	/*kus/

Definitions

救

to aid; to support
to save; to rescue
只有民主主義能夠救中國。 [MSC, trad.]
只有民主主义能够救中国。 [MSC, simp.]
Zhǐyǒu mínzhǔzhǔyì nénggòu jiù Zhōngguó. [Pinyin]
Only democracy can save China.
^† to prohibit; to forbid
女弗能救與？／女弗能救与？ ― Nǚ fú néng jiù yǔ? ― Could you not stop him?

Synonyms

(to aid):

佐理 (zuǒlǐ) (literary, with a task)
使勁／使劲 (shǐjìn)
加勢／加势 (jiāshì)
助 (zhù)
助力 (zhùlì)
助理 (zhùlǐ)
助益 (zhùyì) (literary)
匡助 (kuāngzhù) (literary)
協助／协助 (xiézhù)
參佐／参佐 (cānzuǒ) (literary)
增援 (zēngyuán, “to provide reinforcements”)
幫／帮 (bāng)
幫助／帮助 (bāngzhù)
幫同／帮同 (bāngtóng) (literary)
幫寸／帮寸 (bāngcùn)
幫帶／帮带 (bāngdài)
幫忙／帮忙 (bāngmáng)
幫手／帮手 (bong¹ sau²) (Cantonese)
幫扶／帮扶 (bāngfú)
幫襯／帮衬 (bāngchèn)
幫贈／帮赠 (Hokkien)
扶
扶助 (fúzhù)
扶持 (fúchí)
扶掖 (fúyè) (formal)
拉巴 (dialectal)
挺 (tǐng)
援助 (yuánzhù)
𢯭手 (Hakka)
支助 (zhīzhù) (literary)
支持 (zhīchí)
支援 (zhīyuán)
相幫／相帮 (xiāngbāng) (dialectal)
相輔／相辅 (Teochew)
翼 (yì) (literary, or in compounds)
聲援／声援 (shēngyuán, “to express support for”)
臂助 (bìzhù) (literary)
補益／补益 (bǔyì)
補臺／补台 (bǔtái) (mainland China)
贈力／赠力 (Hokkien)
贈助／赠助 (Hokkien)
贊喙／赞喙 (“to express support for”) (Hokkien)
贈手／赠手 (Hokkien)
贊聲／赞声 (“to express support for”) (Hokkien)
輔助／辅助 (fǔzhù)
陪 (péi) (literary, or in compounds)
鬥幫贈／斗帮赠 (Hokkien)
鬥相共／斗相共 (Hokkien)
鬥跤手／斗跤手 (Hokkien)
鬥跤搭／斗跤搭 (Hokkien)

(to save):

周濟／周济 (zhōujì)
成濟／成济 (chéngjì) (literary)
拯救 (zhěngjiù)
挽救 (wǎnjiù)
接助 (Xiamen Hokkien)
接濟／接济 (jiējì)
援手 (yuánshǒu) (literary)
搭救 (dājiù)
搶救／抢救 (qiǎngjiù)
救助 (jiùzhù)
救拯 (jiùzhěng) (literary)
救援 (jiùyuán)
救濟／救济 (jiùjì)
營救／营救 (yíngjiù)
補救／补救 (bǔjiù)
解救 (jiějiù)

(to prohibit):

不准 (bùzhǔn)
不許／不许 (bùxǔ)
制止 (zhìzhǐ)
勿許／勿许 (⁸veq-shiu) (Wu)
取締／取缔 (qǔdì)
唔准 (m⁴ zeon²) (Cantonese)
嚴禁／严禁 (yánjìn) (to strictly forbid)
抑止 (yìzhǐ)
毋准 (Min Nan)
禁制 (jìnzhì)
禁止 (jìnzhǐ)
禁絕／禁绝 (jìnjué)
遏制 (èzhì)
遏止 (èzhǐ)

Compounds

不可救藥／不可救药 (bùkějiùyào)
以水救水
以火救火
傾身營救／倾身营救
公共救助
匍匐之救
匡君救主 (kuāngjūnjiùzhǔ)
匡救 (kuāngjiù)
同惡相救／同恶相救
同憂相救／同忧相救
呼救 (hūjiù)
圍魏救趙／围魏救赵 (wéiwèijiùzhào)
失業救助／失业救助
失業救濟／失业救济
引足救經／引足救经
從井救人／从井救人
得救 (déjiù)
急救 (jíjiù)
急救包 (jíjiùbāo)
急救法 (jíjiùfǎ)
打救 (dǎjiù)
扶危救困
拔救
抱薪救火 (bàoxīn-jiùhuǒ)
抱薪救焚
披麻救火
拯救 (zhěngjiù)
拯溺救焚
挽救 (wǎnjiù)
振救
捨命救人／舍命救人
捨己救人／舍己救人
搜救 (sōujiù)
援救 (yuánjiù)
搭救 (dājiù)
搶救／抢救 (qiǎngjiù)
撲救／扑救 (pūjiù)
收救
救世 (jiùshì)
救世主 (jiùshìzhǔ)
救世軍／救世军 (Jiùshìjūn)
救亡 (jiùwáng)
救亡圖存／救亡图存 (jiùwángtúcún)
救人 (jiùrén)
救兵 (jiùbīng)
救助 (jiùzhù)
救助金 (jiùzhùjīn)
救取
救命 (jiùmìng)
救命之恩 (jiùmìngzhī'ēn)
救困扶危 (jiù kùn fúwēi)
救國／救国 (jiùguó)
救國團／救国团
救度 (jiùdù)
救急 (jiùjí)
救應／救应 (jiùyìng)
救拔
救援 (jiùyuán)
救搭
救星 (jiùxīng)
救死扶傷／救死扶伤 (jiùsǐfúshāng)
救民水火
救治 (jiùzhì)
救活 (jiùhuó)
救濟／救济 (jiùjì)
救濟金／救济金 (jiùjìjīn)
救濟院／救济院
救火 (jiùhuǒ)
救火員／救火员
救火投薪
救火揚沸／救火扬沸
救火栓
救火機／救火机
救火車／救火车 (jiùhuǒchē)
救災／救灾 (jiùzāi)
救災恤患／救灾恤患
救焚拯溺
救生 (jiùshēng)
救生員／救生员 (jiùshēngyuán)
救生圈 (jiùshēngquān)
救生筏 (jiùshēngfá)
救生船 (jiùshēngchuán)
救生艇 (jiùshēngtǐng)
救生衣 (jiùshēngyī)
救經引足／救经引足
救總／救总
救苦救難／救苦救难
救荒 (jiùhuāng)
救藥／救药 (jiùyào)
救解
救護／救护 (jiùhù)
救護站／救护站
救護車／救护车 (jiùhùchē)
救贖／救赎 (jiùshú)
救過不贍／救过不赡
救過補闕／救过补阙
救難／救难 (jiùnàn)
救難船／救难船
救風塵／救风尘
救駕／救驾 (jiùjià)
普救 (pǔjiù)
普救寺
有救 (yǒujiù)
殺身救國／杀身救国
求救 (qiújiù)
海上救難／海上救难
潑油救火／泼油救火 (pōyóujiùhuǒ)
濟世救人／济世救人
灌救
災害救濟／灾害救济
無可救藥／无可救药 (wúkějiùyào)
無藥可救／无药可救 (wúyàokějiù)
營救／营救 (yíngjiù)
獲救／获救 (huòjiù)
現金救助／现金救助
申救
目蓮救母／目莲救母
相救 (xiāngjiù)
矜貧救厄／矜贫救厄
社會救助／社会救助
社會救濟／社会救济
答救
緹縈救父／缇萦救父
自力救濟／自力救济 (zìlì jiùjì)
自救 (zìjiù)
自救不暇
行政救濟／行政救济
補偏救弊／补偏救弊 (bǔpiānjiùbì)
補救／补救 (bǔjiù)
補救教學／补救教学
見死不救／见死不救 (jiànsǐbùjiù)
見溺不救／见溺不救
解救 (jiějiù)
討救／讨救
討救兵／讨救兵
負薪救火／负薪救火
貧民救助／贫民救助
遇救
醫時救弊／医时救弊
首尾相救

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (救):

→ Japanese: 救(きゅう) (kyū)
→ Korean: 구(救) (gu)
→ Vietnamese: cứu (救)

Japanese

Kanji

救

(Fifth grade kyōiku kanji)

Readings

Go-on: く (ku)
Kan-on: きゅう (kyū, Jōyō)
Kun: すくう (sukuu, 救う, Jōyō); すくい (sukui)

Korean

Hanja

救 (eumhun 건질 구 (geonjil gu))

hanja form^? of 구 (“save, rescue, relieve”)
hanja form^? of 구 (“help, aid”)

Compounds

구원 (救援, guwon, “rescue, salvation”)
구출 (救出, guchul, “rescue”)
구제 (救濟, guje, “help, relief”)
구급 (救急, gugeup, “first aid”)
구급차 (救急車, gugeupcha, “ambulance”)
구급상자 (救急箱子, gugeupsangja, “first-aid kit”)

Vietnamese

Han character

救: Hán Việt readings: cứu

chữ Hán form of cứu (“to help”).