====== jiù: 救 - To Save, To Rescue, To Help ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** jiù, jiu Chinese, how to say save in Chinese, rescue in Chinese, 救 meaning, Chinese word for help, jiùmìng, save me in Chinese, ambulance in Chinese, firefighter in Chinese, help vs save in Chinese * **Summary:** Learn the crucial Chinese character **救 (jiù)**, which means "to save" or "to rescue." This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use in modern China. From emergency calls like **救命 (jiùmìng!)** to understanding words like **救护车 (jiùhùchē)** for "ambulance," this entry provides clear examples and explains the critical difference between using **救 (jiù)** for urgent situations and **帮 (bāng)** for general help. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiù * **Part of Speech:** Verb * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** To save or rescue someone or something from a situation of danger, harm, or difficulty. * **In a Nutshell:** **救 (jiù)** is a word of high stakes and urgency. It's not about casual assistance; it's about intervention in a critical situation. Think of firefighters pulling someone from a burning building, a doctor saving a patient's life, or a lifeguard rescuing a swimmer. The feeling is one of immediate, necessary action to prevent a terrible outcome. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * The character **救 (jiù)** is a phono-semantic compound, meaning it's made of parts that give clues to both its sound and meaning. * **求 (qiú):** On the left, this character means "to seek," "to request," or "to beg." It provides a hint of the pronunciation and the semantic idea of someone being in need and seeking help. * **攵 (pū):** On the right, this radical is a variant of **攴**, which is often associated with action, tapping, or striking. It represents the active, physical intervention required to perform a rescue. * Together, they form a powerful image: taking action (**攵**) in response to a plea or desperate need (**求**). ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== * In Chinese culture, the act of **救 (jiù)** is deeply tied to concepts of heroism, social responsibility, and compassion. Stories of selfless individuals who risk their own safety to **救 (jiù)** others are cornerstones of moral education. This aligns with a collectivist value system where the well-being of the group and its members is paramount. * **Comparison to "Save" in English:** This is a crucial point for learners. The English word "save" is incredibly broad. You can "save money," "save a file," "save time," or "save a seat." The Chinese word **救 (jiù)** is highly specific to rescuing from danger. Using **救 (jiù)** to mean "save money" (**存钱 cún qián** or **省钱 shěng qián**) or "save a file" (**保存 bǎocún**) is a common but major mistake for beginners. **救 (jiù)** implies a life, a person, or a critical situation is at stake. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== * **Emergency Situations:** This is the primary context for **救 (jiù)**. The most important phrase a learner can know for safety is **救命啊 (jiùmìng a)!** - "Help me! / Save my life!" It is a universal distress call. * **Compound Words for Services:** Many essential services and concepts are built with **救 (jiù)**. * **救护车 (jiùhùchē):** Ambulance (literally "rescue-protect vehicle") * **救火 (jiùhuǒ):** To fight a fire (literally "save from fire") * **急救 (jíjiù):** First aid (literally "urgent rescue") * **救援 (jiùyuán):** Rescue operation (a more formal term for organized rescue efforts) * **Figurative Usage:** While less common in daily conversation, **救 (jiù)** can be used figuratively to mean "saving" a company from bankruptcy, a project from failure, or a relationship from collapse. In these cases, it's often part of a compound word like **挽救 (wǎnjiù)**. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * **救**命啊!有人掉进水里了! * Pinyin: **Jiù**mìng a! Yǒu rén diào jìn shuǐ lǐ le! * English: Help! Someone fell into the water! * Analysis: This is the most classic and urgent use of **救**. The particle **啊 (a)** adds to the sense of urgency and alarm. * **Example 2:** * 快打120叫一辆**救**护车! * Pinyin: Kuài dǎ yāo'èrling jiào yī liàng **jiù**hùchē! * English: Quick, dial 120 and call an ambulance! * Analysis: Here, **救** is part of the compound word for "ambulance." 120 is the emergency medical number in mainland China. * **Example 3:** * 消防员很快就赶来**救**火了。 * Pinyin: Xiāofángyuán hěn kuài jiù gǎnlái **jiù**huǒ le. * English: The firefighters arrived quickly to fight the fire. * Analysis: **救火 (jiùhuǒ)** is a standard verb-object phrase meaning "to fight a fire." * **Example 4:** * 医生尽了最大的努力,但还是没能**救**活他。 * Pinyin: Yīshēng jìn le zuì dà de nǔlì, dànshì háishì méi néng **jiù** huó tā. * English: The doctor tried his best, but still couldn't save him. * Analysis: The combination **救活 (jiù huó)** specifically means "to save someone's life" (literally "save until alive"). * **Example 5:** * 在这次地震中,很多志愿者参加了**救**援工作。 * Pinyin: Zài zhè cì dìzhèn zhōng, hěn duō zhìyuànzhě cānjiā le **jiù**yuán gōngzuò. * English: In this earthquake, many volunteers participated in the rescue work. * Analysis: This uses the more formal term **救援 (jiùyuán)**, which refers to organized rescue efforts. * **Example 6:** * 谢谢你,你真是我的**救**星! * Pinyin: Xièxie nǐ, nǐ zhēn shì wǒ de **jiù**xīng! * English: Thank you, you're truly my savior! * Analysis: This is a common figurative expression. A **救星 (jiùxīng)** is a "savior" or "saving grace" (literally "saving star"). * **Example 7:** * 那个小男孩从树上**救**下了一只小猫。 * Pinyin: Nàge xiǎo nánhái cóng shù shàng **jiù** xià le yī zhī xiǎo māo. * English: That little boy rescued a kitten from the tree. * Analysis: Demonstrates that **救** can be used for animals in peril. The directional complement **下来 (xiàlai)** shows the direction of the rescue (down). * **Example 8:** * 所有被困的矿工都**得救**了。 * Pinyin: Suǒyǒu bèi kùn de kuànggōng dōu **déjiù** le. * English: All the trapped miners were saved. * Analysis: **得救 (déjiù)** means "to be rescued." It describes the state of having been saved. * **Example 9:** * 我们必须想个办法**挽救**公司的声誉。 * Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū xiǎng ge bànfǎ **wǎnjiù** gōngsī de shēngyù. * English: We must think of a way to save the company's reputation. * Analysis: A good example of figurative use. **挽救 (wǎnjiù)** is often used for rescuing abstract concepts like a reputation, a marriage, or a situation. * **Example 10:** * 快来**救救**我,我被锁在门外了! * Pinyin: Kuài lái **jiùjiu** wǒ, wǒ bèi suǒ zài mén wài le! * English: Quick, come help me, I'm locked out! * Analysis: The reduplication of the verb, **救救 (jiùjiu)**, softens the tone slightly and adds a sense of urgency, like a strong plea for help. While being locked out isn't life-threatening, this phrasing is used for dramatic or comedic effect to emphasize the speaker's desperation. ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **`救 (jiù)` vs. `帮 (bāng)` - The Golden Rule:** This is the most common pitfall for learners. * **救 (jiù):** Use for life-or-death situations, serious danger, or emergencies. (Fire, drowning, medical emergency). * **帮 (bāng) / 帮助 (bāngzhù):** Use for general help, assistance, or favors. (Carrying bags, helping with homework, giving directions). * **Incorrect:** `你能救我做作业吗?` (Nǐ néng jiù wǒ zuò zuo yè ma?) - This sounds absurd, as if your homework is about to kill you. * **Correct:** `你能帮我做作业吗?` (Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zuò zuo yè ma?) - "Can you help me with my homework?" * **"Saving" Money, Time, or Files:** As mentioned earlier, do not use **救 (jiù)** for these concepts. It is a "false friend" to the English word "save" in these contexts. * **To save money:** **省钱 (shěng qián)** or **存钱 (cún qián)** (to deposit/save up) * **To save time:** **省时间 (shěng shíjiān)** * **To save a computer file:** **保存 (bǎocún)** ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * [[帮助]] (bāngzhù) - The general term for "help" or "assistance." Use this for non-emergency situations where you would use **救 (jiù)**. * [[救援]] (jiùyuán) - A more formal term for "rescue," often referring to organized, large-scale relief efforts (e.g., after a natural disaster). * [[挽救]] (wǎnjiù) - To save or rescue something from the brink of failure, often used for abstract things like a reputation, a company, or a relationship. * [[拯救]] (zhěngjiù) - To save or redeem. This word carries a grander, more profound meaning, often used in religious contexts (to save a soul) or for saving humanity. * [[急救]] (jíjiù) - First aid; emergency medical treatment. * [[救命]] (jiùmìng) - "Save life!"; the most common and direct cry for help in a dangerous situation. * [[救护车]] (jiùhùchē) - Ambulance, the vehicle used for rescue. * [[得救]] (déjiù) - To be saved; the state of having been successfully rescued. * [[救星]] (jiùxīng) - "Savior" or "liberator," literally a "saving star." Used to describe a person who arrives just in time to solve a difficult problem.