力添え|ちからぞえchikarazoe[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbhelp; assistance; service天におわす神のお力添えがあった。↗God above helped us.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 力添えする（ちからぞえする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 力添えします（ちからぞえします） |
| Negative (nai) | 力添えしない（ちからぞえしない） |
| polite (masen) | 力添えしません（ちからぞえしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 力添えせず・力添えせぬ（ちからぞえせず・ちからぞえせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 力添えした（ちからぞえした） |
| polite (mashita) | 力添えしました（ちからぞえしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 力添えしなかった（ちからぞえしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 力添えしませんでした（ちからぞえしませんでした） |
| Te form | 力添えして（ちからぞえして） |
| Potential | 力添えできる（ちからぞえできる） |
| Passive | 力添えされる（ちからぞえされる） |
| Causative | 力添えさせる（ちからぞえさせる） |
| Causative passive | 力添えさせられる（ちからぞえさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 力添えすれば（ちからぞえすれば） |
| tara | 力添えしたら（ちからぞえしたら） |
| Volitional | 力添えしよう（ちからぞえしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 力添えしましょう（ちからぞえしましょう） |
| Imperative | 力添えしろ（ちからぞえしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym助力じょりょくNeutralClose to 「力添え」 — lending a hand — but leans written, mostly for support of projects and activities.
- Synonym援助えんじょNeutralAid for people or groups in trouble — money, goods or manpower all work; 「力添え」 is mostly a courteous way to ask or thank.
- Synonym支援しえんNeutralBacking and support typical of governments and companies, as in 「支援物資」「被災地支援」; an organizational act.
- Synonym手助けてだすけNeutralColloquial lending of a hand with concrete tasks; less formal than 「お力添え」.
- Synonym加勢かせいNeutralJoining one side to swell its strength, typically taking sides in a fight or contest.
- SynonymアシストNeutralLoanword for assisting, also an assist in soccer or basketball; strongly colloquial — pick 「お力添え」 for polite requests or thanks.
- Synonym応援おうえんNeutralCheering someone on or sending reinforcements; stresses moral encouragement, also dispatching people to help.
- Synonym助成じょせいNeutralFunding support from governments or public bodies, usually heard as 「助成金」; stresses financial backing.
- Synonym介添えかいぞえNeutralCaring for or steadying someone at their side; also a bridesmaid, best man or boxer's cornerman — stresses attending in person.
- Synonym扶助ふじょWrittenFormal written term for support and maintenance, seen in institutional phrases like 「相互扶助」「生活扶助」.
- Synonym介助かいじょNeutralHelping the elderly or sick with daily movements; a welfare and medical term with a clearly defined care recipient.
- Synonym後援こうえんNeutralBacking from behind the scenes, often as an event's official 「後援」; institutional rather than personal.
- Synonym救済きゅうさいNeutralRelief for people suffering hardship, which can be ongoing, and also religious salvation; stresses delivering people from their plight.
- Synonym助けたすけNeutralThe plainest noun for help, without the humble-polite coloring of 「お力添え」.
- Synonym救いすくいNeutralSalvation or spiritual solace; stresses lifting someone out of misery or bringing comfort.
- Synonym助け舟たすけぶねNeutralColloquial image for timely help that pulls someone out of a fix, as in 「助け舟を出す」.
- SynonymサポートNeutralLoanword for support, including after-sales service; common in daily life and business, more casual than 「力添え」.
- Synonym一助いちじょWrittenFormal written word for a small contribution, used humbly as in 「一助となれば幸いです」.
- Synonym肩入れかたいれNeutralPartial, emotionally invested support for one side, as in 「肩入れする」.
- Synonym援護えんごNeutralCovering support, including military covering fire; stresses protecting the person helped.
- Synonym加担かたんNeutralJoining or backing one side, often in wrongdoing; pejorative, the opposite of well-meant help.
- Synonym補佐ほさNeutralAssisting a superior, often as a job title like 「課長補佐」; stresses the supporting post.
- Synonym助勢じょせいWrittenWritten-style word for backing or reinforcements, now rare, as in 「助勢を頼む」; 「力添え」 is the usual polite choice.
- SynonymヘルプNeutralColloquial loanword for calling for help or stepping in temporarily, as in 「ヘルプに入る」; not a polite choice.
- Synonym助太刀すけだちNeutralOriginally a second in a duel; colloquially, stepping in to help at a critical moment.
- Synonym人助けひとだすけNeutralGood deeds done for others; stresses kindness and virtue rather than any specific task.
- Related救援きゅうえんNeutralRescue or relief for disaster victims or people in distress; centers on urgent situations, for one person or many, whereas 「力添え」 is ordinary help.
- Related救助きゅうじょNeutralRescuing people in danger, as in 「人命救助」; used where lives are at stake.
- Related協賛きょうさんNeutralEndorsing an event's aims and giving cooperation or backing; common as the 「協賛」 credit on posters.
- Antonym妨害ぼうがいNeutralAntonym: obstruction and interference — the reverse of 「力添え」 stepping in to help.
- Antonym邪魔じゃまNeutralAntonym: getting in the way or disturbing someone, common in speech — the opposite of the help 「力添え」 describes.
- Antonym阻害そがいNeutralAntonym: holding things back or inhibiting progress — the reverse of 「力添え」 lending a hand.
Use 「お力添え」 when politely asking for or thanking someone for help. For everyday helping, 「手伝い」「手助け」 fit; for organizational support, 「支援」「援助」; for caring for the elderly or sick, 「介助」. 「応援」「加勢」「助太刀」 add strength to one side; 「救援」「救助」 mean rescue from danger, while 「救済」 is relief from hardship (also religious salvation). 「サポート」「アシスト」「ヘルプ」 are casual loanwords. Antonyms: 「妨害」「邪魔」「阻害」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
- 他の人が何かをするときに、手伝ったり支えたりすること。
Kanji in this word
See also
