支持

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 支持 is a noun read しじ. It can mean supporting a proposal or position, or physically holding an object up from below. The verbal form is 支持する.
• Basic usage: An endorsed idea takes を, while the physical sense can describe a structural part such as a post bearing a shelf's weight.
  • 多くの委員がその提案を支持した。 says that many committee members supported the proposal; 棚を下から支持する柱を追加した。 describes adding a post that supports a shelf from below.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 提案を支持した
  • を marks the proposal as the object of support. Supporting it does not by itself state that it was formally adopted.
• 下から支持する柱
  • Here 支持する is physical: the post bears the shelf from below rather than expressing agreement with an opinion.
• 支持 and 賛成
  • 賛成 centers on agreeing with an idea or plan, while 支持 can denote backing a position and can also describe physical support.