1.
helping hand; rescue; lifeline; salvation
Help or assistance offered to someone in trouble or distress. Often used figuratively to describe timely aid that saves a dire situation.
救いの手 literally means "hand of rescue" and refers to timely help given to someone in trouble. It is often used figuratively and carries a somewhat dramatic or literary tone.
Common patterns
- 救いの手を差し伸べる: to extend a helping hand (the most common collocation)
- 救いの手を求める: to seek a helping hand
- 救いの手が現れる: a helping hand appears
Usage
Frequently appears in news reports about disaster relief, charitable aid, and personal crises. Also used in everyday speech to describe someone who helped at a critical moment.