aid

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 援 has 12 strokes and the on-reading えん. 応援 (おうえん) and 支援 (しえん) concern supporting someone.
• Basic usage: 応援 is used for encouragement at games; 支援 is used for assisting disaster-affected families or supporting writers' work.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Ways of giving support
  • 弟の試合を応援した means cheering for one's younger brother in a game. 皆の応援 concerns encouragement that gave someone strength to run to the finish.
  • 家族を支援した and 作家への支援 concern helping a family and writers respectively. These expressions alone do not limit the means of 支援 to financial aid.