支ささえ

さ

え

Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

Refers to a physical object that holds something up, or metaphorically to a person or thing that provides emotional, financial, or structural support.

棚たなが落おちないように支ささえを付つけた。
I put a support on the shelf so it wouldn't fall.
彼かの女じょは家か族ぞくの心こころの支ささえだ。
She is the emotional support of the family.

See all 45 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉の支ささえになるto become someone's support/pillar
彼かの女じょはいつも家か族ぞくの支ささえになっている。
She has always been a support for her family.
支ささえを失うしなうto lose one's support
父ちちを亡なくして、生せい活かつの支ささえを失うしなった。
After losing his father, he lost his means of support in life.
支ささえを求もとめるto seek support
困こまったときは周まわりの人ひとに支ささえを求もとめてもいい。
When you're in trouble, it's okay to seek support from those around you.
精せい神しん的てきな支ささえemotional/psychological support
友ゆう人じんの言こと葉ばが精せい神しん的てきな支ささえになった。
My friend's words became an emotional support for me.

Kanji

支branch, support, sustain

Related words· 8

支し柱ちゅう
支柱 is a physical pillar or prop used to hold something up, while 支え is broader and can also mean emotional or financial support.
頼たよりN2
頼り emphasizes someone or something to rely on personally, while 支え focuses on the act or role of holding/propping up.
助たすけN2
助け is general help or aid given in a moment of need, whereas 支え suggests ongoing, steady support that sustains someone.
後うしろ盾だて
後ろ盾 refers to a backer who provides protection or influence, while 支え is a more neutral, general word for support of any kind.

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励はげみ
支え describes ongoing emotional support that sustains a person, whereas 励み is a specific event or fact that spurs someone on to try harder.
大だい黒こく柱ばしら
支え is a generic word for any kind of support, while 大黒柱 emphasizes a single, indispensable central figure or thing.
柱はしらN1
支え means support or backing in a broad, often abstract sense, while 柱 implies a single central, pillar-like source of support.
励はげまし
支え refers to broader emotional or practical support that sustains someone, while 励まし is specifically words or acts meant to motivate.

Don't confuse with

支し持じN2
支持 means support in the sense of backing an opinion, policy, or person, while 支え more often refers to physical or emotional support that sustains someone.
つかえ
支え read as ささえ means 'support' or 'prop', a completely different word from 支え read as つかえ, which means an oppressive feeling or an obstacle.

Word family

支ささえるN3
support; prop up; hold up; sustain · hold at bay; stem; check
下した支ざさえ
support; underpinning; prop
支ささえ棒ぼう
prop; stay bar; support rod
心こころの支ささえ
moral support; emotional support; spiritual support
支ささえ合あう
support each other; help one another
買かい支ささえ
buying support; support buying

Written forms

支ささえUsage97%
Standard kanji spelling for the noun meaning support or prop.
ささえUsage3%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the physical or metaphorical support nuance is clear from context.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 支える (ささえる, 'to support'). The noun form 支え is the continuative form (連用形) of the verb, used as a noun.