Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 救う | sukuu | [sɨ̥kɯ̟ː] (narrow) |
| 助ける | tasukeru | [ta̠sɨ̥ke̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) [sɨke̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 救い出す | sukuidasu | [sɨ̥kɯ̟ida̠sɨ] (narrow) |
| 救助する | kyūjo suru |
The verb 救う is used when describing the act of rescuing someone else. For the noun form of 'rescue', you can use 救出.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb 救い出す literally means 'to save and bring out', which emphasizes the physical act of pulling someone out of a dangerous situation.
Which one should you use?
While many words exist for this concept, 助ける is a much more common, everyday word used for both physical rescue and general assistance (to help or to assist). In contrast, 救う is more formal and often carries a weightier, more dramatic or even spiritual connotation of saving a life or a soul. Finally, 救い出す specifically focuses on the action of pulling someone out of danger and 救助する is used when describing official or professional rescue operations.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 救助 can be used to form compound words related to rescue, such as 救助隊 (kyūjo-tai), meaning 'rescue squad'. To express the idea of 'being rescued', use the verb 救われる.
How do you pronounce it?
sukuu
Did you know?
- The verb 救う is a cognate of the verb 掬う, which means 'to scoop up' or 'to ladle' liquid.
- The word 掬う is a homophone of 救う, though it means 'to scoop up' instead of 'to rescue'.
Examples in context
- この犬は山の遭難者を救うように訓練されている。This dog is trained to rescue climbers who have met with accidents.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 救う in the context of training a dog to rescue people.
- 彼女は救助隊によって海から救助された。She was rescued from the sea by a rescue team.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are discussing a superhero movie.
- 結衣 Yuiこのヒーローは世界を救うんだよ。kono hiiroo wa sekai o sukuu nda yo.This hero saves the world.
- 蓮 Renすごいね。どうやって救うの？sugoi ne. dou yatte sukuu no?That's amazing. How does he save it?
- 結衣 Yui特別な力を使って戦うんだよ。tokubetsu na chikara o tsukatte tatakau nda yo.He fights using special powers.
- 蓮 Renかっこいい物語だね。kakkoii monogatari da ne.That's a cool story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rescue” translations and entries 救う, 助ける, 救い出す, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 助ける, 救い出す, 救う, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
