<p>According to dictionaries like <a href="http://wap.zdic.net/z/?u=53F3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this one</a> (definition 7), in ancient Chinese, 右 and 佑 in this usage are interchangeable. </p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="7">
  <li>古同“佑”，帮助，偏袒。</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>In modern simplified Chinese system, we use 佑 for this usage. </p>

<p>But not sure if this is the case in other regions where traditional characters are still in use.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T09:30:11.523Z
The translation given is in Simplified Chinese, 右 hasn't been used interchangeably with 佑 since the Song Dynasty, and the language of the translation given is in Modern Standard Chinese sprinkled with a few archaic/religious terms. While technically true that 右 and 佑 were interchangeable, it doesn't apply to this situation.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T09:53:44.133Z
@droooze, I agree it looks odd to replace 佑 with 右 in those sentences. But for some reason, most of  dictionaries still have this particular definition including the latest version of 新华字典. So, I won't stick my neck out and say it's wrong if I see others use it like that. I am not a linguist, but I would suggest foreign Chinese learners use 佑 in those sentences.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T10:01:51.577Z
You misunderstand me. I would expect for comprehensive dictionaries to give the old definition (that is fine), but these old definitions are no longer [productive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Productivity_\(linguistics\)) in generating new words, because they have lost that meaning. By the time that 佑助 was invented as a word, 右 was already far from being associated with the meaning 佑, and that's why (I'm betting) that `新华字典` won't have 右助 as a word, and also why treating 右助 as an alternative spelling of 佑助 is unlikely to be the real explanation.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T04:16:39.637Z
2018-06-22T04:16:39.637Z
dan
<p>A Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5 (<a href="http://koran.link/zh/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link</a>) says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我们只崇拜你，只求你<strong>右助</strong>，<br>
  <sub>Wǒmen zhǐ chóngbài nǐ, zhǐ qiú nǐ yòu zhù,</sub></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm unclear about <a href="http://youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%8F%B3%E5%8A%A9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">右助</a> which YouDao translates to "the right to help".  The sentence mostly makes sense directly, approximately translating to:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>We [我们] only [只] worship [崇拜] you [你]; only [只] beg [求] you [你] the right to help [右助].</p>
</blockquote>

<p>However, the last bit doesn't quite make sense (I would expect it to say "only beg you for help").  It's also a bit odd that <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%8F%B3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">右</a> ("right") here means "right" in the sense of "I have rights", instead of "right hand"; I haven't encountered that before.</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Why is 右助 in this Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5?</p>

<p>The Arabic and one English translation is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ   (<a href="https://quran.com/1/5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Qur'an 1:5</a>)<br>
  It is You we worship and You we ask for help.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's similar in Qur'an 1:7: 你所<strong>右助</strong>者的路 ...</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T03:19:50.163Z
maybe misprint，could be
祐助 see bkrs 祐助 保佑帮助。
如：「感谢上天佑助，让我顺利脱险。」

help; aid; assist

https://www.islamicity.com/cqse/surah_s.asp?surahno=1
1 : 7  你所祐助者的路，不是受谴怒者的路，也不是迷误者的路。
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T04:53:48.270Z
佑,祐 are interchangeable (see dictionaries)
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T09:31:37.143Z
Note that YouDao glosses the translation with `以上为机器翻译结果` (*This translation was generated by a machine*). It's inaccurate.
dROOOze
<translation><meaning-in-context><word>
Why is 右助 (yòu zhù) in this Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5: 我们只崇拜你，只求你右助?
# Why is 右助 (yòu zhù) in this Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5: 我们只崇拜你，只求你右助?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-22)

A Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5 ([link](http://koran.link/zh/)) says

> 我们只崇拜你，只求你**右助**，  
> Wǒmen zhǐ chóngbài nǐ, zhǐ qiú nǐ yòu zhù,

I'm unclear about [右助](http://youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%8F%B3%E5%8A%A9) which YouDao translates to "the right to help". The sentence mostly makes sense directly, approximately translating to:

> We [我们] only [只] worship [崇拜] you [你]; only [只] beg [求] you [你] the right to help [右助].

However, the last bit doesn't quite make sense (I would expect it to say "only beg you for help"). It's also a bit odd that [右](http://dict.cn/%E5%8F%B3) ("right") here means "right" in the sense of "I have rights", instead of "right hand"; I haven't encountered that before.

**Question**: Why is 右助 in this Chinese translation of Qur'an 1:5?

The Arabic and one English translation is:

> إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ([Qur'an 1:5](https://quran.com/1/5))  
> It is You we worship and You we ask for help.

It's similar in Qur'an 1:7: 你所**右助**者的路 ...

**Tags:** translation, meaning-in-context, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: maybe misprint，could be 祐助 see bkrs 祐助 保佑帮助。 如：「感谢上天佑助，让我顺利脱险。」  help; aid; assist  https://www.islamicity.com/cqse/surah_s.asp?surahno=1 1 : 7  你所祐助者的路，不是受谴怒者的路，也不是迷误者的路。  
> **username_1**: 佑,祐 are interchangeable (see dictionaries)  
> **username_2**: Note that YouDao glosses the translation with `以上为机器翻译结果` (*This translation was generated by a machine*). It's inaccurate.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-22. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

According to dictionaries like [this one](http://wap.zdic.net/z/?u=53F3) (definition 7), in ancient Chinese, 右 and 佑 in this usage are interchangeable.

> 7. 古同“佑”，帮助，偏袒。

In modern simplified Chinese system, we use 佑 for this usage.

But not sure if this is the case in other regions where traditional characters are still in use.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: The translation given is in Simplified Chinese, 右 hasn't been used interchangeably with 佑 since the Song Dynasty, and the language of the translation given is in Modern Standard Chinese sprinkled with a few archaic/religious terms. While technically true that 右 and 佑 were interchangeable, it doesn't apply to this situation.  
> **username_3**: @username_2, I agree it looks odd to replace 佑 with 右 in those sentences. But for some reason, most of  dictionaries still have this particular definition including the latest version of 新华字典. So, I won't stick my neck out and say it's wrong if I see others use it like that. I am not a linguist, but I would suggest foreign Chinese learners use 佑 in those sentences.  
> **username_2**: You misunderstand me. I would expect for comprehensive dictionaries to give the old definition (that is fine), but these old definitions are no longer [productive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Productivity_\(linguistics\)) in generating new words, because they have lost that meaning. By the time that 佑助 was invented as a word, 右 was already far from being associated with the meaning 佑, and that's why (I'm betting) that `新华字典` won't have 右助 as a word, and also why treating 右助 as an alternative spelling of 佑助 is unlikely to be the real explanation.  

---

