1.
mutual aid; mutual support; reciprocal assistance
The principle of members of a group supporting each other, especially as an organizing principle for cooperatives, insurance systems, and social organizations.
Composed of 相互 (mutual, reciprocal) + 扶助 (support, assistance). A formal compound often used in institutional, legal, and social contexts.
Common collocations
- 相互扶助の精神 — spirit of mutual aid
- 相互扶助の仕組み — mutual aid system
- 相互扶助制度 — mutual aid system/scheme
- 相互扶助の原理 — principle of mutual aid
Similar words
- 共助 — mutual assistance (more commonly used in disaster preparedness contexts)
- 助け合い — helping each other (everyday expression)
- 扶助 — support, assistance (one-directional help, not necessarily mutual)
- 互助 — mutual aid (shorter synonym, often in 互助会 — mutual aid association)
Register
Formal. Common in written Japanese, institutional documents, and discussions of social systems. In casual conversation, 助け合い is more natural.