支える
ささえる · sasaeru · JLPT N3 · verb-ichidan
support
🏛️ 支 = 十 branch + 又 hand: a hand gripping a stick to prop something up
The kanji 支 started as a hand (又) holding a branch (十), meaning a prop or brace. The same kanji is in 支持 (shiji, support). Hear sasaeru as sa-sa, a steady push: you keep holding it up so it won't fall.
支 — hand 又 holding a branch 十
Originally a pictograph showing a hand (又) holding a branch broken from a tree, depicting the act of supporting or propping something up. From this came meanings like 'branch,' 'to support,' and 'to pay out.' It also serves as a phonetic component in characters like 枝 (branch) and 技 (skill).