幇
help
Readings
On'yomi
- ホウ
Kun'yomi
- たす.ける
Meaning
幇 centers on providing assistance or support: helping someone or something.
Most common words using 幇
- 幇助ほうじょ
assistance; backing; support
- 幇助罪ほうじょざい
(crime of) aiding and abetting
- 幇間ほうかん
professional jester; professional entertainer; comedian; buffoon
- 強盗幇助ごうとうほうじょ
aiding and abetting a robbery
- 竹聯幇ちくれんほう
United Bamboo Gang (Taiwanese crime syndicate)
- 自殺幇助じさつほうじょ
(the crime of) aiding and abetting a suicide
- 馬幇まばん
caravan (e.g. of Hui Muslims in China)
Study
Etymology
幇 combines 封 (which historically relates to sealing or binding) with 巾 (cloth). The exact historical development is uncertain, but it likely expresses the idea of binding or supporting with cloth, extending to general help.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 封 suggests sealing or binding, and the bottom 巾 is cloth. Imagine using cloth to bind and support something, helping it stay together.
Reading mnemonic
For ホウ, picture a helping hand holding out a cloth: the sound 'hoe' (as in gardening tool) cues ホウ, and the cloth helps bind things together.