助すけっ人と

す

け

っ

と

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

helper; supporter; backup

General term for a person who helps out, often in an informal or temporary capacity. Can be used in work, sports, or daily life.

引ひっ越こしの助すけ

っ

人と

を

頼たの

ん

だ

。

I asked someone to help with the move.

彼かれはチームの頼たよりになる助すけっ人とだ。

He is a reliable helper for the team.

2

noun

foreign player hired to strengthen a team

Specifically used in sports contexts for a foreign player brought in to boost a team's performance. Often seen in baseball, soccer, etc.

新しん助すけっ人と外がい国こく人じん選せん手しゅがホームランを打うった。
The new foreign player hit a home run.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉に助すけっ人とを頼たのむto ask someone to come help out
人ひと手でが足たりないので、友とも達だちに助すけっ人とを頼たのんだ。
Since we were short-handed, I asked a friend to come help out.
助すけっ人ととして活かつ躍やくするto play an active role as a hired reinforcement (esp. a foreign player)
彼かれはチームの助すけっ人ととして活かつ躍やくした。
He performed well as the team's foreign reinforcement.
助すけっ人とが来くるfor a helper/reinforcement to arrive
急きゅうに人ひとが足たりなくなり、急いそいで助すけっ人とが来きてくれた。
We suddenly ran short-staffed, and someone rushed in to help.
助すけっ人とを呼よぶto call in a helper/reinforcement
引ひっ越こしの日ひは助すけっ人とを呼よんで手伝てつだってもらった。
On moving day, I called in some help to lend a hand.

Kanji

助help, rescue, assist
人person

Related words

手伝てつだいN3sense 1
手伝い is the neutral, everyday word for help or a helper, while 助っ人 suggests a temporary or informal reinforcement, often in sports.
援えん軍ぐん sense 2
援軍 is a more formal or figurative term for reinforcements (originally military), while 助っ人 is casual and often refers to a single hired helper or player.
味み方かたN3sense 1
味方 means an ally or someone on your side generally, while 助っ人 specifically emphasizes actively coming in to help or reinforce.
助すけ
助っ人 is the common word for a helper brought in for a specific task, while 助 alone is an old-fashioned or compound-only word for the same idea.
人ひと手でN2
助っ人 is a casual word for a helper who steps in for a specific task, whereas 人手 more generally refers to any extra worker or pair of hands.

Opposites

邪じゃ魔ま者もの sense 1
邪魔者 is someone who gets in the way or hinders, the opposite of a 助っ人 who comes to help.

Don't confuse with

助じょ手しゅN3sense 1
助手 is a formal, often employed assistant (e.g. lab assistant), whereas 助っ人 is a casual or temporary helper brought in for a specific need.

Built from

助すけ+人と

Written forms

助すけっ人とUsage98%
Standard kanji spelling; common in news and everyday use.
すけっとUsage2%
Kana spelling is sometimes used in casual writing or for clarity.

Etymology

Derived from 助ける (たすける, 'to help') with the insertion of a small っ for emphasis, combined with 人 (ひと, 'person'). The reading すけっと is a colloquial contraction.