援護・掩護|えんごengo[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
援護援護 is the more common kanji-only form and the recommended choice for beginners.
掩護掩護 is a kanji-only variant that is rarely used; learners will seldom encounter it and generally need not choose it.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbsupport; help; backing
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbcovering (from enemy attack); protection
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 援護する（えんごする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 援護します（えんごします） |
| Negative (nai) | 援護しない（えんごしない） |
| polite (masen) | 援護しません（えんごしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 援護せず・援護せぬ（えんごせず・えんごせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 援護した（えんごした） |
| polite (mashita) | 援護しました（えんごしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 援護しなかった（えんごしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 援護しませんでした（えんごしませんでした） |
| Te form | 援護して（えんごして） |
| Potential | 援護できる（えんごできる） |
| Passive | 援護される（えんごされる） |
| Causative | 援護させる（えんごさせる） |
| Causative passive | 援護させられる（えんごさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 援護すれば（えんごすれば） |
| tara | 援護したら（えんごしたら） |
| Volitional | 援護しよう（えんごしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 援護しましょう（えんごしましょう） |
| Imperative | 援護しろ（えんごしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym援助えんじょNeutralAid in money, goods or technology for people or countries in need, as in 「経済援助」; 「援護」 is about protection and cover, plus care for disaster victims and the bereaved.
- Synonym支援しえんNeutralSupport with manpower or resources, used very broadly; 「援護」 focuses on protecting or covering from the side.
- Synonym後ろ盾うしろだてNeutralA person or force that backs you up from behind, a patron; 「援護」 is a concrete act of covering or helping.
- Synonym扶助ふじょWrittenA written/formal term for aiding people who cannot support themselves, as in 「公的扶助」; 「援護」 leans toward protection and cover.
- Synonym支持しじNeutralEndorsing and backing a person, idea or policy; 「援護」 is hands-on help or cover, not approval.
- Synonym応援おうえんNeutralHelping out or cheering someone on, common in everyday speech; 「援護」 leans toward protection, including military covering fire.
- Synonym後援こうえんWrittenA written/formal term for backing or sponsoring an event from behind the scenes; 「援護」 focuses on protection and cover.
- Synonym補助ほじょNeutralSupplementing what is lacking, often with money, as in subsidies; 「援護」 means protection and help, with no sense of topping something up.
- Synonym後押しあとおしNeutralAn everyday word for pushing something along from behind, i.e. backing it; 「援護」 leans toward covering and protecting.
- Synonym助力じょりょくWrittenA written/formal term for lending one's strength to another's work; 「援護」 focuses on protection and cover.
- SynonymサポートNeutralLoanword for support, help or technical support; 「援護」 leans toward protection and cover.
- Synonym加勢かせいNeutralJoining one side to help out or reinforce it; 「援護」 leans toward covering from the side.
- Synonym助け舟たすけぶねNeutralA metaphorical lifeline offered in a pinch, as in 「助け舟を出す」; 「援護」 is more formal.
- Synonym力添えちからぞえNeutralLending a hand, typical in requests and thanks like 「お力添え」; 「援護」 leans toward protection.
- Synonym救援きゅうえんNeutralRescuing people in danger or distress, as in 「救援物資」; 「援護」 focuses on protection and cover.
- Synonym支えささえNeutralA prop or emotional mainstay one relies on; 「援護」 is protection in action.
- Synonym助太刀すけだちNeutralOriginally joining a fight on someone's behalf, now a metaphor for helping, with an old Edo flavor; 「援護」 is more formal.
- Related助成じょせいWrittenA written/formal term for funding by governments or public bodies, as in 「助成金」; 「援護」 is protection and help.
- Related協賛きょうさんWrittenA written/formal term for endorsing and sponsoring an event, often with money, as by companies; 「援護」 is not sponsorship.
- Related介助かいじょNeutralHands-on help with the daily movements of the sick, elderly or disabled; 「援護」 is protection or rescue.
- Related賛助さんじょWrittenA written/formal term for endorsing and funding a cause, as in 「賛助会員」; unlike 「援護」, it is not about protection.
- Related介添えかいぞえNeutralAttending at someone's side to look after or assist them; 「援護」 leans toward cover and protection.
- Related幇助ほうじょWrittenA criminal-law term, mostly for helping someone commit an offense, as in 「自殺幇助」; 「援護」 is ordinary help or cover and never names a crime.
Choose 「援護」 for protecting or covering someone, or caring for disaster victims and bereaved families, as in 「援護射撃」. For aid in money, goods or technology use 「援助」; for general backing use 「支援」 or 「サポート」; for cheering someone on use 「応援」; for rescuing people in danger use 「救援」. The rest are narrower: funding terms like 「助成」 and 「協賛」, care words like 「介助」, legal 「幇助」, and so on.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
