🧐 帮 bāng vs 帮助 bāngzhù – What’s the Difference?

Both 帮 (bāng) and 帮助 (bāngzhù) mean “help”, and many learners wonder:

❓ Are they the same?

❓ Can I just use one of them?

Good question! They are similar, but not always interchangeable. 

Let’s break it down! 👇

🔍  Breakdown

🟢 帮 (bāng) – casual and flexible

• Often used in spoken Chinese

• Short and friendly

• Usually followed by a person + verb

🧠 Think of it like “help someone do something”

📝 Example:

他帮我买了一杯咖啡。

(Tā bāng wǒ mǎi le yì bēi kāfēi)

→ He helped me buy a cup of coffee.

🟢 帮助 (bāngzhù) – more formal and complete

• Slightly more formal (used in writing or formal speech)

• Can be used as a verb or noun

• Often used in longer, structured sentences

• You’ll often come across it in speeches, public signs, or written Chinese.

🧠 Think of it like “to give help” or “assistance”

📝 Example:

他帮助了很多人。

(Tā bāngzhù le hěn duō rén)

→ He helped a lot of people.

谢谢你的帮助。

(Xièxie nǐ de bāngzhù)

→ Thank you for your help.

✍🏻 帮助 is used as a noun.

💬  Easy Examples

✅ 帮 (bāng) – to help someone do something

Example 1.

她帮我写作业。

(Tā bāng wǒ xiě zuòyè)

→ She helped me with my homework.

Example 2.

你能帮我一下吗？

(Nǐ néng bāng wǒ yíxià ma?)

→ Can you help me for a moment?

✅ 帮助 (bāngzhù) – to offer/give help or support

Example 1.

这本书对我有帮助。

(Zhè běn shū duì wǒ yǒu bāngzhù)

→ This book is helpful to me.

📌 In this sentence, 帮助 is used as a noun.

📌 “有帮助” means “to be helpful” or “to have benefit.” It’s a common expression in written or polite Chinese.

Example 2.

她经常帮助同事解决问题。

(Tā jīngcháng bāngzhù tóngshì jiějué wèntí.)

→ She often helps her coworkers solve problems.

📌 In this sentence, 帮助 is a verb, meaning “to help” — more formal than just 帮 and often used in writing or polite speech.

⚠️ Common Mistakes (Watch Out!)

❌ Wrong:

这本书对我有帮。

(Zhè běn shū duì wǒ yǒu bāng.)

📌 “帮” cannot be used like a noun here.

✅ Correct:

这本书对我有帮助。

(Zhè běn shū duì wǒ yǒu bāngzhù.)

→ This book is helpful to me.

🎯  Try It Yourself!

Choose the correct word: 帮 (bāng) or 帮助 (bāngzhù)

1. 我可以________你搬家吗？

(Wǒ kěyǐ ________ nǐ bānjiā ma?)

→ Can I help you move?

✅ Correct: 帮

👉 You’re helping someone do something.

2. 我很感激你的________。

(Wǒ hěn gǎnjī nǐ de ________)

→ I really appreciate your help.

✅ Correct: 帮助

👉 This is a noun – “your help.”

3. 这个网站对学习中文很有________。

(Zhè ge wǎngzhàn duì xuéxí Zhōngwén hěn yǒu ________)

→ This website is very helpful for learning Chinese.

✅ Correct: 帮助

🚀 Final Tip

🟢 Use 帮 when:

• You’re helping someone do something

• In casual conversations

🟢 Use 帮助 when:

• You need a noun, or

• In formal or written situations

📘 Try making two simple sentences:

• One with 帮 (e.g. 帮我一下)

• One with 帮助 (e.g. 你的帮助)

Practice like this will help you remember the difference easily. And you’ll feel the difference as you say them! 💪

Just one word can flip your meaning — don’t miss the rest of the series! 👉 check them out here! 😄📘