補助・輔助|ほじょhojo[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
補助補助 is the most common written form for “assistance,” “support,” “help,” or “aid.” For learners, choose it by default.
輔助輔助 is a rarely used kanji-only variant of 補助. You may encounter it, but learners should generally choose 補助 instead.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbassistance; support; help; aid
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbsubsidy; supplement; subvention; grant-in-aid
- noun, suru verb, transitive verbspotting (in weight training)
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 補助する（ほじょする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 補助します（ほじょします） |
| Negative (nai) | 補助しない（ほじょしない） |
| polite (masen) | 補助しません（ほじょしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 補助せず・補助せぬ（ほじょせず・ほじょせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 補助した（ほじょした） |
| polite (mashita) | 補助しました（ほじょしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 補助しなかった（ほじょしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 補助しませんでした（ほじょしませんでした） |
| Te form | 補助して（ほじょして） |
| Potential | 補助できる（ほじょできる） |
| Passive | 補助される（ほじょされる） |
| Causative | 補助させる（ほじょさせる） |
| Causative passive | 補助させられる（ほじょさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 補助すれば（ほじょすれば） |
| tara | 補助したら（ほじょしたら） |
| Volitional | 補助しよう（ほじょしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 補助しましょう（ほじょしましょう） |
| Imperative | 補助しろ（ほじょしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym援助えんじょNeutralAid given to those in need — money, goods, technical help — as in 「経済援助」「技術援助」; 「補助」 instead assists from the side, filling in what is lacking.
- Synonym支援しえんNeutralBacking or supporting an action or effort, as in 「被災地支援」; 「補助」 is assisting from the side to make up a shortfall.
- Synonym助力じょりょくWrittenWritten/formal prose for lending a hand, adding one's strength to another's work; 「補助」 focuses on supplementing what is insufficient.
- SynonymアシストNeutralLoanword for helping out, and in sport the assist — the final pass before a goal; 「補助」 is assisting from the side to fill a gap.
- SynonymサポートNeutralLoanword for support, including technical support, as in 「サポートセンター」; 「補助」 is assisting from the side or subsidising a shortfall.
- Synonym手助けてだすけNeutralGiving a hand with a task; 「補助」 is the more formal term.
- Synonym援護えんごNeutralSupporting and shielding someone, as in 「援護射撃」 (covering fire); 「補助」 is assisting from the side or a subsidy.
- Synonym補佐ほさNeutralAssisting a superior, as in 「課長補佐」; 「補助」 is not limited to assisting people and can also mean a subsidy.
- SynonymヘルプCasualColloquial loanword for help or a helper, as in 「ヘルプに入る」; 「補助」 is the more formal term.
- Related加担かたんNeutralTaking part on someone's side, often with a negative nuance of complicity, as in 「犯罪に加担」.
- Relatedお手伝いおてつだいNeutralPolite word for helping out; also means a maid. 「補助」 is the more formal term.
- Related扶助ふじょWrittenWritten/formal prose for supporting people who struggle to make a living, as in 「生活扶助」; 「補助」 is broader.
- Related加勢かせいNeutralJoining in to lend strength to one side, as in 「加勢に行く」; 「補助」 is supplementary help that fills a shortfall.
- Related応援おうえんNeutralCheering someone on, rooting for them, and by extension reinforcement; 「補助」 is supplementary help or a subsidy.
- Related賛助さんじょWrittenWritten/formal prose for supporting a cause one approves of, as in 「賛助会員」; 「補助」 covers subsidies or aid from government or firms.
- Related救援きゅうえんNeutralRescuing people in emergencies such as disasters or accidents, as in 「救援物資」; 「補助」 is side-by-side help or a subsidy, emergency or not.
- Related後援こうえんNeutralBacking or patronage from behind the scenes, as in 「後援会」; 「補助」 is supplementary help or a subsidy.
- Related救済きゅうさいNeutralRelieving people in distress, as in 「被害者救済」; 「補助」 focuses on supplementing what is lacking, or a subsidy.
- Related救助きゅうじょNeutralSaving lives, as in 「人命救助」; 「補助」 is assisting from the side or a subsidy.
- Related手伝いてつだいNeutralHelping with chores or work; also a helper. 「補助」 is more formal and centres on filling a shortfall.
- Related助けたすけNeutralEveryday word for help or rescue, also in written phrases like 「助けとなる」; 「補助」 is more formal, about supplementing what is lacking.
- RelatedサービスNeutralLoanword for service, and for freebies or discounts thrown in; 「補助」 is supplementary help or a subsidy.
- Related支持しじNeutralBacking an opinion, party or idea; 「補助」 is assisting from the side or a subsidy.
- Related介助かいじょNeutralHelping the elderly, sick or disabled with daily movements, as in 「入浴介助」.
- Related助勢じょせいWrittenWritten/formal prose for backing someone up or reinforcing them; in daily speech use 「加勢」.
- Related幇助ほうじょWrittenWritten/formal legal term for aiding a crime, as in 「自殺幇助」.
- Antonym妨害ぼうがいNeutralAntonym on the help-versus-hinder axis: obstructing or interfering with something.
- Antonym阻害そがいWrittenWritten/formal antonym on the help-versus-hinder axis: blocking or impeding something.
Use 「補助」 for subsidies and for assisting from the side to make up what is lacking, as in 「補助金」. For financial aid say 「援助」, for backing an action 「支援」, for supporting the needy 「扶助」, for assisting a superior 「補佐」, for personal-care help 「介助」. Antonyms: 「妨害」「阻害」.
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
