音読み: シ
訓読み: ささえる
画数: 4
部首: 支
Meaning
Support / Branch / Sustain
- Basic forms
- 支える — to support; hold up / base form
- 支えます — support; hold up / masu form
- 支えた — supported; held up / ta-form
- 支えて — support and … / te-form
- 支えない — do not support / negative
- 支えれば — if (you) support / conditional
- Common uses
- 家族を支える — support one’s family
- 体を支える — support the body
- 社会を支える — support society
支える（ささえる） is an ichidan verb. It is used for both physical support and emotional or social support.
- 支持 — support
- 支店 — branch office
- 支配 — control; rule
- 支出 — expenditure
- 支援 — assistance
More examples ▼
The original form showed a hand holding a branch, symbolizing support or propping something up. This meaning extended to assistance, structural roles, and divisions like offices or tributaries.