How does 助ける relate to 手伝う and 救う?


I'm going to answer this myself, since I haven't seen good complete answers
online. 助ける occupies a role overlapping with both word, which is particularly
confusing for native English speakers, since the word encompasses "help,"
"save," and "rescue" depending on the context.

Previous answers on this site include
[this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/41759/difference-
between-%E5%8A%A9%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B-%E3%81%9F%E3%81%99%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B-and-%E6%95%91%E3%81%86-%E3%81%99%E3%81%8F%E3%81%86)
which just said that 救う is to rescue while 助ける is to help, which I don't think
properly covers the nuance. Also there is [this
answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/77120/%E6%89%8B%E3%82%92%E5%B7%AE%E3%81%97%E4%BC%B8%E3%81%B9%E3%82%8B-vs-%E6%89%8B%E4%BC%9D%E3%81%86-vs-%E5%8A%A9%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B)
which compares 手伝う and 助ける and, conversely, says that 助ける means to save while
手伝う means to help. These are contradictory answers which don't really help
learners grasp the nuance.




In essence, the words operate on different levels of "strength" where 手伝う is
weaker than 助ける which is weaker than 救う. We will illustrate this with
examples.

**手伝う vs 助ける**

手伝う is most preferred when both people are equally cooperating (or the person
being helped is doing more work) and the help isn't particularly necessary. It
also is only used when the help is pretty direct (going and doing a specific
action).

Examples (stolen from the sources I list at the end):

> 彼が私のコピーを手伝ってくれた
>
> _He helped me with the photocopying._

Both parties are working to make copies, and its not that big of deal, just
easier with help. The action is direct and simple.

> 彼がオーバーを着るのを手伝った
>
> _I helped him (to) put his overcoat on._

Both parties want him to get his overcoat on, and the help is just making it
fast. The action is direct and simple.

> 友人の引っ越しを手伝う
>
> _I will help my friend move_

Both parties are working on getting the friend moved, and it is still doable
without the help, just more exhausting. The action is a bit more
complicated/time consuming, but still direct.

助ける differs in that adds the nuance of more necessity/urgency. Alternatively,
this gets used if what work the helper is employing is indirect and vague.

> 老人が歩くのを助けた
>
> _I helped the elderly person walk_

While the help is direct, the elderly person (presumably) can't walk alone, at
least not without great difficulty.

> 会の発展を助けた
>
> _I helped the society expand_

The help could be minor, but since this is more vague/indirect, 助ける makes the
most sense.

> 妻はパートをして家計を助けた
>
> _My wife worked part time to help the family finances_

Again, the scope of the help isn't necessarily known, but because it is only
indirectly doing an action in order to help the family finances, 手伝う is very
odd here, so 助ける needs to be used. In general, financial help is something you
don't use 手伝う for.

**救う vs 助ける**

First, 救う can be used in the sense of "religious salvation" or "moral
redemption" which does not exist in 助ける. For example:

> 神は我々を罪から救うためキリストをこの世につかわされた
>
> _God sent Christ to redeem us from sin._

> あの男は救いようのない悪人だ
>
> _He is past all hope of redemption._

It is also used refer to emotional relief, particularly in the passive:

> 私のせいではないと彼女が言ってくれた時は救われた思いがした
>
> _I was so relieved when she assured me it wasn't my fault._

> それを聞いてわたし救われました
>
> _I am relieved to hear that_

However, when focusing on the "core" meaning of saving/rescuing, the nuance
tends to be about the status of the "rescuer," where respected positions whose
duty is to save, like a doctor or a lifeguard, tend to have 救う be used, while
助ける is more common for peers/strangers. And possibly related, 助ける feels like
it is more focused on the person being saved, while 救う is more on the savior
(in a praising manner).

So:

> 彼はおぼれている子を救った
>
> 彼はおぼれている子を助けた
>
> _He saved the drowning child_

These both work, but I would imagine the former being used more often for
describing the actions of a life-guard being praised in the local news and the
latter might be used when it is your child in question. Of course, the nuance
is slight here, and both are perfectly acceptable in either situation.

Also related is that 救う resembles "help" in that it can also be used for
providing financial assistance in situations we wouldn't used "save" for in
English, like providing aid to less-wealthy countries. In this context, 救う has
the same nuances compared to 助ける as before, but they are magnified. Using 救う
can feel patronizing and portray a distinct sense of superiority.

Sources:

[This GOO Thesaurus
page](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/9038/meaning/m1u/%E6%89%8B%E4%BC%9D%E3%81%86/)

[This meaning-difference page](https://meaning-difference.com/?p=360)

[This English-Japanese GOO 手伝う page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E6%89%8B%E4%BC%9D%E3%81%86/#je-51613)

[This English-Japanese GOO 助ける page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E5%8A%A9%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B/#je-46021)

[This English-Japanese GOO 救う page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E6%95%91%E3%81%86/#je-38928)

[This Eije Weblio page for 救われた for an example
sentence](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E6%95%91%E3%82%8F%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F)

[This 違い比較辞典 page](https://chigai-hikaku.com/?p=1181)

[The first 知恵袋 page I
used](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1066562850)

[The second 知恵袋 page I
used](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1052694115)




In essence, the words operate on different levels of "strength" where 手伝う is
weaker than 助ける which is weaker than 救う. We will illustrate this with
examples.

**手伝う vs 助ける**

手伝う is most preferred when both people are equally cooperating (or the person
being helped is doing more work) and the help isn't particularly necessary. It
also is only used when the help is pretty direct (going and doing a specific
action).

Examples (stolen from the sources I list at the end):

> 彼が私のコピーを手伝ってくれた
>
> _He helped me with the photocopying._

Both parties are working to make copies, and its not that big of deal, just
easier with help. The action is direct and simple.

> 彼がオーバーを着るのを手伝った
>
> _I helped him (to) put his overcoat on._

Both parties want him to get his overcoat on, and the help is just making it
fast. The action is direct and simple.

> 友人の引っ越しを手伝う
>
> _I will help my friend move_

Both parties are working on getting the friend moved, and it is still doable
without the help, just more exhausting. The action is a bit more
complicated/time consuming, but still direct.

助ける differs in that adds the nuance of more necessity/urgency. Alternatively,
this gets used if what work the helper is employing is indirect and vague.

> 老人が歩くのを助けた
>
> _I helped the elderly person walk_

While the help is direct, the elderly person (presumably) can't walk alone, at
least not without great difficulty.

> 会の発展を助けた
>
> _I helped the society expand_

The help could be minor, but since this is more vague/indirect, 助ける makes the
most sense.

> 妻はパートをして家計を助けた
>
> _My wife worked part time to help the family finances_

Again, the scope of the help isn't necessarily known, but because it is only
indirectly doing an action in order to help the family finances, 手伝う is very
odd here, so 助ける needs to be used. In general, financial help is something you
don't use 手伝う for.

**救う vs 助ける**

First, 救う can be used in the sense of "religious salvation" or "moral
redemption" which does not exist in 助ける. For example:

> 神は我々を罪から救うためキリストをこの世につかわされた
>
> _God sent Christ to redeem us from sin._

> あの男は救いようのない悪人だ
>
> _He is past all hope of redemption._

It is also used refer to emotional relief, particularly in the passive:

> 私のせいではないと彼女が言ってくれた時は救われた思いがした
>
> _I was so relieved when she assured me it wasn't my fault._

> それを聞いてわたし救われました
>
> _I am relieved to hear that_

However, when focusing on the "core" meaning of saving/rescuing, the nuance
tends to be about the status of the "rescuer," where respected positions whose
duty is to save, like a doctor or a lifeguard, tend to have 救う be used, while
助ける is more common for peers/strangers. And possibly related, 助ける feels like
it is more focused on the person being saved, while 救う is more on the savior
(in a praising manner).

So:

> 彼はおぼれている子を救った
>
> 彼はおぼれている子を助けた
>
> _He saved the drowning child_

These both work, but I would imagine the former being used more often for
describing the actions of a life-guard being praised in the local news and the
latter might be used when it is your child in question. Of course, the nuance
is slight here, and both are perfectly acceptable in either situation.

Also related is that 救う resembles "help" in that it can also be used for
providing financial assistance in situations we wouldn't used "save" for in
English, like providing aid to less-wealthy countries. In this context, 救う has
the same nuances compared to 助ける as before, but they are magnified. Using 救う
can feel patronizing and portray a distinct sense of superiority.

Sources:

[This GOO Thesaurus
page](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/9038/meaning/m1u/%E6%89%8B%E4%BC%9D%E3%81%86/)

[This meaning-difference page](https://meaning-difference.com/?p=360)

[This English-Japanese GOO 手伝う page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E6%89%8B%E4%BC%9D%E3%81%86/#je-51613)

[This English-Japanese GOO 助ける page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E5%8A%A9%E3%81%91%E3%82%8B/#je-46021)

[This English-Japanese GOO 救う page for
sentences](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/en/%E6%95%91%E3%81%86/#je-38928)

[This Eije Weblio page for 救われた for an example
sentence](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E6%95%91%E3%82%8F%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F)

[This 違い比較辞典 page](https://chigai-hikaku.com/?p=1181)

[The first 知恵袋 page I
used](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1066562850)

[The second 知恵袋 page I
used](https://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1052694115)

