Chinese word

救命

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiù mìng

Meaning

  • interjectionhelp

Example

救命！请帮帮我。jiù mìng qǐng bāng bāng wǒ

Help! Please help me.

Illustration for 救命 (help)

More examples

地震发生后，远处有人不断呼喊救命。dì zhèn fā shēng hòu yuǎn chù yǒu rén bú duàn hū hǎn jiù mìng

After the earthquake, someone far away kept calling for help.

Core concept

The idea of life being at stake, expressed either as a cry for rescue or as life-saving action.

Common phrases

  • 大声呼喊救命dà shēng hū hǎn jiù mìng

    call out for help loudly

  • 急切地喊救命jí qiè dì hǎn jiù mìng

    call out for help urgently

Similar words

救我jiù wǒ: A short, strong plea for someone to save the speaker.

Definition in Chinese

作为感叹词，遇险或受困时用于呼救，常与请求援助的短句连用以引起他人注意。zuò wéi gǎn tàn cí yù xiǎn huò shòu kùn shí yòng yú hū jiù cháng yǔ qǐng qiú yuán zhù de duǎn jù lián yòng yǐ yín qǐ tā rén zhù yì

Word origin

救 (jiù, "save") joined with 命 (mìng, "life") creates a compact expression centered on preserving life, later used independently to attract urgent attention.

Usage tips

  • Its dramatic tone matters in everyday speech: routine problems call for a normal request, while this word suggests immediate danger.

Other meanings

  • save a lifeverb
  • lifesavingadjective

Related words

  • 救命稻草jiù mìng dào cǎolast resortidiom
  • 救命手段jiù mìng shǒu duànlife-saving measurenoun

Word lists with this word