How to say "assistant" in Japanese

• 副ふくCommon
  noun, prefixAs 'assistant' it really means 'associate': it is the 'vice-' or 'sub-' element of titles and ranks, so it is seldom the word you want for a person who helps you.
• 手伝いてつだいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounA helper in the everyday sense: someone who lends a hand with a task or piece of work. The nuance is helping out, so it names the person helping rather than a formal post.
  ４年間ねんかんは彼かれは最初さいしょの値段ねだんで芝しばを刈かってくれたが、その年としの終おわりに彼かれはしょっちゅう手伝てつだいを連つれていることに気きがついた。↗

  For four years, he cut the grass at the original price, but I noticed that toward the end of that year, he had a helper with him quite often.
• 助手じょしゅJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounAn assistant in a professional or workplace sense: a person who assists a senior figure in their work, the kind of role found in research and academia.
  私は助手じょしゅを探さがしている。↗

  I am looking for an assistant.
• アシスタントCommon
  nounThe loanword for 'assistant', used as a job title for someone who supports a main figure; think of a TV program or a designer's studio, where the role is named as a position.
  彼かれには２、３のかなり優秀ゆうしゅうなアシスタントがいた。↗

  He had two or three rather competent assistants.
• 付き人つきびとCommon
  nounAn assistant in the sense of a personal attendant: someone who stays close to an entertainer or sumo wrestler, accompanying them and looking after their needs; not a general word for a workplace assistant.
  その付き人つきびとはお世辞せじがうまい。↗

  The attendant is good at flattery.

Choose 「手伝い」 for a helper with a task, 助手 for a professional's assistant, 「アシスタント」 as a loanword job title, 「付き人」 for a star's attendant in show business or sumo, and 副 only in titles meaning vice- or associate.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 副ふくassistant
• 手伝いてつだいhelper
• 助手じょしゅassistant
• アシスタントassistant
• 付き人つきびとassistant (esp. in show business or sumo)
• 付け人つけびとassistant (esp. in show business or sumo)
• 女房役にょうぼうやくassistant
• 下働きしたばたらきsubordinate work
• 次席じせきassociate
• 介添えかいぞえhelper (e.g. for a sick person)
• 補佐ほさaid
• 助け手たすけてhelper
• 雇員こいんassistant
• 副手ふくしゅassistant
• 補佐役ほさやくassistant
• 補助員ほじょいんassistant
• 部長付ぶちょうづきassistant (to general manager)
• 調査役ちょうさやくassistant (to section manager)
• アシassistant
• 補佐人ほさにんassistant
• 補助者ほじょしゃassistant
• 手伝い手てつだいてhelper
• 助じょhelp
• 補佐的ほさてきsupportive (role)
• てこassistant
• セコンドassistant
• 介錯人かいしゃくにんassistant
• バックストップassistant
• 随身ずいじんattendant
• 後見こうけん(theatrical) assistant
• つきunder
• セカンドsecond (in boxing, etc.)