赞助 (zàn zhù) is a verb meaning 'to sponsor' or 'to support financially'. It combines two characters: 赞 (zàn), which originally means 'to praise' but in this compound conveys approval and active backing, and 助 (zhù), meaning 'to help' or 'to assist'. Together, they emphasize formal, often public or institutional financial support — not casual help, but committed backing for an event, person, organization, or cause. The word implies a transactional or strategic relationship, where the sponsor typically receives recognition or benefits in return.

This term is commonly used in business, sports, education, and cultural contexts — for example, when a company funds a university research project or a brand pays to have its logo displayed at a marathon. It carries a neutral-to-formal register and is rarely used for personal, informal favors among friends or family. While it can occasionally appear as a noun (e.g., 赞助商 'sponsor'), its primary grammatical role is verbal.