How do I say 'help'?

The Chinese help vocabulary is split by urgency, and using the wrong one is socially jarring:

• 帮帮我 — everyday help. Moving furniture, understanding directions, carrying bags. The doubled verb softens it.
• 帮个忙 — “do me a favor.” Implies the help is a small favor, not a large demand. This is the casual, face-saving way to ask.
• 帮忙 — the general verb “to help.” 请帮忙 = please help (formal/written), 你能帮忙吗 = can you help?
• 救命！ — emergency only. “Save me / help!” The word for life-threatening situations. Also used dramatically in casual complaints (热得救命！= “the heat is killing me!”) but this is figurative, not literal.

The grammar of asking:

• 能帮帮我吗？— “Can you help me?” Polite, standard.
• 帮我一下 — “Help me for a sec.” Casual, expects yes.
• 能不能帮个忙？— “Could you do me a favor?” Polite, face-saving.

The cultural note: Chinese culture places high value on helping people in your network. Asking for help from strangers is normal for practical matters (directions, carrying things); asking for significant favors from acquaintances can create a sense of social debt (人情) that is culturally weightier than in many Western contexts.