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Words Kanji Guides About

助っ人 (すけっと) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

助すけっ人と

す

け

っ

と

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

helper; supporter; backup

General term for a person who helps out, often in an informal or temporary capacity. Can be used in work, sports, or daily life.

引ひっ越こしの助すけっ人とを頼たのんだ。
I asked someone to help with the move.
彼かれはチームの

頼たよ

り

に

なる

助すけ

っ

人と

だ

。

He is a reliable helper for the team.

2

noun

foreign player hired to strengthen a team

Specifically used in sports contexts for a foreign player brought in to boost a team's performance. Often seen in baseball, soccer, etc.

新しん助すけっ人と外がい国こく人じん選せん手しゅがホームランを打うった。
The new foreign player hit a home run.

Written forms

助すけっ人とUsage98%
Standard kanji spelling; common in news and everyday use.
すけっとUsage2%
Kana spelling is sometimes used in casual writing or for clarity.

Kanji

助help, rescue, assist
人person

Similar words

手伝てつだい
手伝い is a more general and neutral term for help or a helper, while 助っ人 often implies a temporary or informal helper, or a sports reinforcement.
助すけっ人と外がい国こく人じん
助っ人外国人 is a common collocation for the sports sense, explicitly meaning 'foreign helper player'.

Etymology

Derived from 助ける (たすける, 'to help') with the insertion of a small っ for emphasis, combined with 人 (ひと, 'person'). The reading すけっと is a colloquial contraction.