jíjiù: 急救 - First Aid, Emergency Medical Treatment

• Keywords: 急救, jijiù, first aid in Chinese, emergency medical treatment Chinese, CPR in Chinese, ambulance Chinese, emergency services China, jǐnjí, jiùhùchē, what is jijiù.
• Summary: “急救 (jíjiù)” is the essential Chinese word for “first aid” or “emergency medical treatment.” It refers to the immediate care given to someone who is injured or ill, from basic CPR to calling an ambulance. This page will break down the meaning of 急救, explain its cultural importance in modern China, and provide practical examples for how to use it when you need it most.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jíjiù
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Immediate medical care given to an injured or ill person before professional medical help arrives.
• In a Nutshell: Think of “jíjiù” as the all-encompassing term for emergency response. It's the action of providing “urgent rescue.” Whether you're putting a bandage on a small cut, performing CPR, or calling for an ambulance, you are involved with “jíjiù”. The word itself carries a sense of speed and critical importance.

• 急 (jí): This character means “urgent,” “rapid,” or “anxious.” The top part is related to reaching out or grabbing, while the bottom part is the character for “heart” (心). You can imagine it as a heart beating rapidly in an urgent situation.
• 救 (jiù): This character means “to save,” “to rescue,” or “to help.” It's composed of a character for “to seek” (求) and a component (攵) that often relates to action or a gentle tap/strike. Together, they form the idea of actively seeking to help or save someone.

When combined, 急救 (jíjiù) literally means “urgent rescue” or “rapid saving,” a perfect and direct description of first aid.

The concept of 急救 (jíjiù) has undergone a significant evolution in China. While the idea of saving people is ancient, widespread public training and willingness to perform first aid on strangers is a more modern phenomenon. For years, a cultural hesitation existed, famously highlighted by the “Peng Yu incident” (彭宇案) in 2006, where a man who helped an elderly woman was sued and found liable. This created a societal fear of helping strangers, lest one be blamed for the injury. Foreigners in China might have been surprised to see accident victims not receiving immediate help from bystanders due to this fear. However, in the last decade, there has been a major push from the government and non-profit organizations to promote 急救 (jíjiù) knowledge. After major national events like the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, the importance of civilian first responders became starkly clear. Today, you'll see public service announcements about learning CPR (心肺复苏 - xīnfèi fùsū), and “Good Samaritan” laws have been enacted to protect those who provide aid in good faith. This reflects a shift towards fostering a sense of civic duty and social responsibility, moving away from the previous culture of cautious non-intervention.

急救 (jíjiù) is a standard and widely understood term. You will encounter it in various practical situations.

• As a Noun: It's frequently used to refer to the concept of first aid itself or in compound nouns.
  • `急救箱 (jíjiùxiāng)` - First aid kit
  • `急救中心 (jíjiù zhōngxīn)` - Emergency (first aid) center
  • `急救电话 (jíjiù diànhuà)` - Emergency phone number (like 120 in mainland China)
• As a Verb: It can be used directly as a verb meaning “to give first aid.”
  • `快给他急救! (Kuài gěi tā jíjiù!)` - Give him first aid, quickly!
  • It is also very common to pair it with another verb like `进行 (jìnxíng)` or `做 (zuò)` to mean “to perform/carry out first aid”: `对他进行急救 (duì tā jìnxíng jíjiù)`.

The term is neutral and appropriate in both formal (news reports, hospital settings) and informal (talking with friends about an accident) contexts.

Example 1:

• 每个人都应该学习基本的急救知识。
• Pinyin: Měi ge rén dōu yīnggāi xuéxí jīběn de jíjiù zhīshi.
• English: Everyone should learn basic first aid knowledge.
• Analysis: Here, 急救 (jíjiù) is used as a noun, part of the phrase “first aid knowledge” (急救知识). This is a very common and practical sentence.

Example 2:

• 发生事故后，他立即对伤者进行了急救。
• Pinyin: Fāshēng shìgù hòu, tā lìjí duì shāngzhě jìnxíng le jíjiù.
• English: After the accident happened, he immediately performed first aid on the injured person.
• Analysis: This shows the common pattern `进行急救 (jìnxíng jíjiù)`, which means “to carry out first aid.” `进行` adds a slightly more formal tone than just using `急救` as a verb alone.

Example 3:

• 快打急救电话，这里有人心脏病发作了！
• Pinyin: Kuài dǎ jíjiù diànhuà, zhèlǐ yǒu rén xīnzàngbìng fāzuò le!
• English: Quick, call the emergency number, someone here is having a heart attack!
• Analysis: 急救 (jíjiù) modifies “phone call” (电话) to mean “emergency call.” In mainland China, the primary emergency number for medical services is 120.

Example 4:

• 我们的车里总会备一个急救箱。
• Pinyin: Wǒmen de chē lǐ zǒng huì bèi yí ge jíjiùxiāng.
• English: We always keep a first aid kit in our car.
• Analysis: Demonstrates the compound noun `急救箱 (jíjiùxiāng)`, “first aid kit.” A very useful vocabulary word.

Example 5:

• 救护车到达之前，现场的护士为他做了紧急急救。
• Pinyin: Jiùhùchē dàodá zhīqián, xiànchǎng de hùshi wèi tā zuòle jǐnjí jíjiù.
• English: Before the ambulance arrived, a nurse at the scene gave him emergency first aid.
• Analysis: The phrase `做…急救 (zuò…jíjiù)` is another common way to say “to perform first aid.” The word `紧急 (jǐnjí)` is used here for emphasis, meaning “urgent.”

Example 6:

• 黄金急救时间只有几分钟，我们必须快点！
• Pinyin: Huángjīn jíjiù shíjiān zhǐyǒu jǐ fēnzhōng, wǒmen bìxū kuài diǎn!
• English: The golden hour for first aid is only a few minutes, we have to hurry!
• Analysis: Here, 急救 (jíjiù) acts as an adjective describing “time” (时间). This concept of a “golden time” for rescue is universal.

Example 7:

• 他因为及时急救而保住了性命。
• Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi jíshí jíjiù ér bǎozhùle xìngmìng.
• English: He survived because he received timely first aid.
• Analysis: This sentence highlights the life-saving importance of 急救 (jíjiù), used here as a noun concept (“timely first aid”).

Example 8:

• 这个周末我要去参加一个急救培训课程。
• Pinyin: Zhège zhōumò wǒ yào qù cānjiā yí ge jíjiù péixùn kèchéng.
• English: This weekend I'm going to attend a first aid training course.
• Analysis: Shows how 急救 (jíjiù) is used in the context of education and training. `培训课程 (péixùn kèchéng)` means “training course.”

Example 9:

• 医生正在急救室里抢救病人。
• Pinyin: Yīshēng zhèngzài jíjiùshì lǐ qiǎngjiù bìngrén.
• English: The doctor is in the emergency room saving the patient.
• Analysis: Another compound noun, `急救室 (jíjiùshì)`, means “first aid room” or “emergency room.” This is often used interchangeably with `急诊室 (jízhěnshì)`.

Example 10:

• 你懂怎么急救吗？
• Pinyin: Nǐ dǒng zěnme jíjiù ma?
• English: Do you know how to give first aid?
• Analysis: A simple, direct question using 急救 (jíjiù) as a verb. This is a crucial question to be able to ask or understand in an emergency.

• 急救 (jíjiù) vs. 救护 (jiùhù): This is a key point of confusion.
  • 急救 (jíjiù): Refers to the *action* of providing immediate medical care. It's “first aid.”
  • 救护 (jiùhù): Is a broader term for “rescue and aid,” often used in official titles or compound words. You don't “do” 救护. The most common place you'll see it is in `救护车 (jiùhùchē)`, the word for “ambulance.”
  • Incorrect: 我给他做了救护。(Wǒ gěi tā zuòle jiùhù.)
  • Correct: 我给他做了急救。(Wǒ gěi tā zuòle jíjiù.)
  • Correct: 救护车来了。(Jiùhùchē lái le.)
• Using a Helping Verb: While you can use 急救 as a standalone verb (`我急救他 - Wǒ jíjiù tā`), it's far more natural and common in modern Mandarin to use it with a helping verb like `进行 (jìnxíng)` or `做 (zuò)`. For a learner, `对他进行急救 (duì tā jìnxíng jíjiù)` is a safe and standard pattern to learn.
• Cultural Pitfall: The biggest mistake for a foreigner isn't grammatical, but cultural. Be aware that while things are changing, some people in China may still be hesitant to perform or receive 急救 from a stranger. In any emergency, your first and best action is often to call the emergency number (120) while assessing if you can help safely and without causing further issues.

• 救护车 (jiùhùchē) - The ambulance that comes when you call for 急救.
• 紧急 (jǐnjí) - Urgent, Emergency. The first character, 急 (jí), is the same. This word describes the nature of a situation requiring 急救.
• 抢救 (qiǎngjiù) - To rescue, to save (from danger). This term is more intense than 急救 and implies a desperate, life-or-death struggle, as if “snatching” (抢) a person from the brink of death. Often used by doctors in an ER.
• 急诊 (jízhěn) - Emergency Room (ER) or emergency consultation. This is the department in the hospital where 急救 patients are taken.
• 心肺复苏 (xīnfèi fùsū) - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). This is one of the most important types of 急救.
• 受伤 (shòushāng) - To be injured. This is the state of a person who needs 急救.
• 医生 (yīshēng) - Doctor. The professional who provides medical care after initial 急救.
• 治疗 (zhìliáo) - Treatment. The general, non-emergency medical treatment a patient receives after being stabilized.