1.
helping others; lending a hand
The act of helping other people, especially strangers or those in need. Often implies a selfless or charitable spirit.
人助けをする。
To help someone out.
困っている人の人助けがしたい。
I want to help people who are in trouble.
彼は人助けが好きで、ボランティアに積極的に参加している。
He enjoys helping others and actively participates in volunteer work.
Composed of 人 (person/people) + 助け (help). The compound refers specifically to the act of helping other people, carrying connotations of kindness and altruism. Often used when praising someone's good deeds or discussing charitable behavior.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人助けをする: to help others
- 人助けだと思って: thinking of it as helping someone out
- 人助けの精神: spirit of helping others
USAGE:
Often appears in the phrase 人助けだと思って, used when asking someone for a favor — literally "think of it as helping someone" — as a way of making a request seem more like an act of charity than a burden.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 手助け: assistance — more focused on practical help with a specific task
- 助け合い: mutual aid — emphasizes reciprocity and community support
- ボランティア: volunteer work — organized, formalized helping