拯
help
Strokes9
Readings
On'yomi
- ショウ
- ジョウ
Kun'yomi
- すく.う
Meaning
拯 centers on giving aid or rescue, especially lifting someone out of difficulty. The single given meaning 'help' captures this idea of supportive intervention.
Study
Etymology
拯 combines 扌 (hand) with 丞, which historically depicts a person being lifted from a pit, together suggesting helping or rescuing by hand.
Meaning mnemonic
The hand radical 扌 reaches out to the right side 丞, which looks like a person being pulled up. Together they show a helping hand lifting someone to safety.
Reading mnemonic
For ショウ, imagine a person shouting 'Show!' as they extend a helping hand: show -> ショウ, and the hand lifts them up.