救 (jiù): to save; to rescue

Meanings

1 to save; to rescue
2 to relieve; to help

Characters

救

jiù

to save; to rescue

Contains 求 (to seek) + 攵 (action radical) - taking action to seek help for someone.

Examples

HSK 1

谁来救我？

Shéi lái jiù wǒ?

Who will save me?

HSK 5

消防员救出了被困的人。

Xiāofáng yuán jiù chū le bèi kùn de rén.

The firefighters rescued the trapped people.

HSK 6

救命啊！

Jiùmìng a!

Help! (Save my life!)

Tips

usage

救命 (jiùmìng) = Save me! / Help! - literally 'save life.' 急救 (jíjiù) = first aid. 救护车 (jiùhùchē) = ambulance.

Components

radical

攵 pū

tap; strike (radical form)

Right indexing radical 攵 (the rap radical, abbreviated 攴) - originally a hand holding a stick, signifying active intervention. In 救 it depicts the rescuer taking action: striking through the danger to save the one who 求 begged for help. Same radical in 教 (teach), 故 (cause), 政 (govern).

phonetic

求 qiú

seek; beg

Left 求 gives both sound and meaning. The reading qiú shifts to jiù (palatalization), and the 'seek / beg' sense of 求 contributes directly: a rescue is responding to a plea for help. So 救 reads as 'take action 攵 in answer to a plea 求' - phonetic and semantic fused.