释义与用法
成语解释
扶扶助，照料。抢救生命垂危的人，照顾受伤的人。现形容医务工作者全心全意为人民服务的精神。
详细释义
救死扶伤：'救'意为抢救、挽救；'死'指生命垂危、即将死亡的人；'扶'意为扶助、照料；'伤'指受伤的人。字面意思就是抢救将要死的人，照顾受伤的人。整体含义是指医务工作者或热心人全力救治伤病者，体现人道主义精神。在现代生活中，该成语不仅用于形容医生护士的职业操守，也引申为任何在危难时刻伸出援手、帮助他人脱离困境的高尚行为。感情色彩为褒义，常用来赞扬无私奉献、仁爱慈悲的精神品质，是中华传统美德中'仁者爱人'思想的具体体现。
成语出处
汉·司马迁《报任少卿书》与单于连战，十有余日，所杀过半当，虏救死扶伤不给。”
成语故事
成语'救死扶伤'源于西汉伟大史学家司马迁的名篇《报任少卿书》。故事背景发生在汉武帝时期，汉朝与北方的匈奴长期处于战争状态。李陵，名将李广之孙，率领五千步兵深入匈奴腹地，与匈奴单于的主力部队遭遇。面对数倍于己的敌人，李陵及其将士浴血奋战，连续作战十余日，杀伤敌军众多，甚至超过了汉军自身的伤亡人数，战况极其惨烈。然而，由于援军未至，箭尽粮绝，最终李陵兵败被俘。司马迁在信中回顾这段历史时，引用了当时战场上的情景：'与单于连战，十有余日，所杀过半当，虏救死扶伤不给。'意思是说，汉军杀伤敌军极多，导致匈奴人忙于抢救他们的死人、扶助他们的伤者，简直忙不过来，顾不上再战。这里的'救死扶伤'原本是用来描述战败方匈奴在惨重伤亡下的狼狈状态，侧重于战场的残酷和伤亡的惨重。但随着历史演变，后世逐渐剥离了其原本描述敌方狼狈的语境，转而提取其'抢救生命、照料伤者'的核心动作，赋予了其积极、高尚的道德内涵，专门用来赞颂医者仁心和人道主义救援精神，成为了赞美医务工作者的专用成语。
文化背景
'救死扶伤'深深植根于中国传统文化中的'仁爱'思想。儒家主张'仁者爱人'，孟子提出'恻隐之心，人皆有之'，这种对人类苦难的同情和关怀是中华伦理的核心。在古代，虽然医疗条件有限，但'医者仁心'始终是行医的最高准则，孙思邈在《大医精诚》中更是明确提出了对待病人要'普同一等，皆如至亲'的要求。该成语从描述战争惨状的词汇演变为歌颂医德的专用语，反映了中华民族对生命的尊重和对人道主义精神的推崇。在现代社会，它已成为医疗卫生行业的职业灵魂，也是社会主义核心价值观中'友善'层面的生动体现。
成语例句
做外科医生的能够以肉补肉，以血补血，则～，造福人群，岂不大哉！★姚雪垠《李自成》第二卷第十四章
现代例句
医护人员在疫情最严峻的时刻，不顾个人安危，坚守在一线，用实际行动诠释了救死扶伤的神圣职责。
白求恩大夫不远万里来到中国，救死扶伤，他的国际主义精神永远值得我们学习。
地震发生后，各地的救援队迅速集结，他们救死扶伤，从废墟中挖掘出一个又一个生命的奇迹。
作为一名医生，无论病人身份如何，救死扶伤都是我们不可推卸的天职。
院长在大会上高度赞扬了急诊科团队，称他们是救死扶伤的典范，是患者生命的守护神。
用法详解
语法功能上，'救死扶伤'多作谓语、定语或宾语。作谓语时，如'他们日夜救死扶伤'；作定语时，如'救死扶伤的精神'；作宾语时，如'发扬救死扶伤的传统'。搭配要求上，常与'精神'、'天职'、'人道主义'、'医德'等词语连用。适用语境主要为医疗行业、灾难救援、公益慈善等场合，用于表彰或描述救助行为。使用禁忌方面，不宜用于形容普通的帮忙或小恩小惠，以免大词小用。常见误用是将其对象扩大化，用于非生命安危的普通困难，或者误写为'救死抚伤'。
常见错误
① 容易写错的字：常将'扶'误写为'抚'，'扶'是用手支持使人不倒，强调动作；'抚'是抚摸、安慰，语意不符。② 容易用错的场景：有时被误用于形容普通的帮助行为，如'帮同学捡笔是救死扶伤'，这是大词小用，该成语必须涉及生命安危或严重伤害的语境。③ 读音错误：'扶'读作 fú，二声，不要读成三声。
近义成语辨析
① 治病救人：侧重于治疗疾病，挽救生命，常用于比喻帮助人改正错误，适用范围比'救死扶伤'广，既可用于医疗也可用于思想教育；而'救死扶伤'更强调在危急关头对生死伤痛的紧急救助，画面感更强。② 吊死问疾：意为吊祭死者，慰问病人，侧重于对病患和死者家属的关怀与慰问，情感色彩偏向同情和安抚，缺乏'救'和'扶'这种主动干预、扭转生死的行动力。③ 救急扶伤：与'救死扶伤'意思极为接近，但'救急'范围更广，可包含非医疗的紧急情况，而'救死'特指生命垂危，程度更深，专业性更强。
英文对照
直译: save the dying and heal the wounded | 意译: rescue the dying and tend to the injured | 英语习语: heal the sick and save the dying
常见问题
'救死扶伤' originally described the enemy's situation in Sima Qian's letter. How did it become a positive term for doctors?
Originally, Sima Qian used it to describe the Xiongnu enemy being overwhelmed by casualties, too busy saving their own dying and wounded to fight. Over centuries, people extracted the core action of 'saving lives and caring for the injured' from the specific historical context. The negative connotation of the enemy's plight faded, and the humanitarian act itself was highlighted and praised, eventually becoming a dedicated term for medical ethics and humanitarian rescue.
Can '救死扶伤' be used for non-medical personnel, like firefighters or volunteers?
Yes, absolutely. While it originated in a context involving casualties and is most commonly associated with medical workers, its extended meaning covers anyone who rushes to save lives and care for the injured in critical situations. Firefighters rescuing people from fires, soldiers in disaster relief, or volunteers pulling victims from wreckage can all be described as practicing '救死扶伤' because they are performing the act of saving the dying and helping the wounded.
What is the grammatical structure of '救死扶伤'?
The idiom '救死扶伤' has a 'coordinate structure' (联合结构). It consists of two verb-object phrases joined together: '救死' (save the dying) and '扶伤' (help the injured). Both parts are parallel in grammatical function and meaning, jointly expressing the complete idea of providing comprehensive medical or emergency aid.
Is there a difference between '救死扶伤' and '治病救人'?
Yes. '救死扶伤' emphasizes emergency rescue for those on the brink of death or physically injured, often implying a sense of urgency and physical action in crisis. '治病救人' focuses more on treating illnesses and saving lives, and it is frequently used metaphorically to mean helping someone correct their mistakes or ideological problems, which '救死扶伤' generally does not imply.
Why is the character '扶' used instead of '治' (to treat) in this idiom?
'扶' means to support with the hand or to help someone stand up. In the context of the original historical record, many soldiers were wounded and unable to move, needing physical support ('扶') rather than just medical treatment ('治'). This character vividly depicts the scene of helping the incapacitated wounded. Using '扶' highlights the immediate, physical act of assistance and care in a chaotic environment, which complements '救' (rescue) perfectly.