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替补 (tì bǔ) — to replace (as a substitute, e.g. a player, worker, or component); a substitute, a replacement

Definition

替补 is a substitute player/worker (noun) or the act of filling in (verb), common in sports and teams. More specialized for replacing a person than 替换 (swap one thing for another) or 换 (general exchange).

to replace (as a substitute, e.g. a player, worker, or component)a substitutea replacement
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 替补，。
    Tā shì qiú duì de tì bǔ, hěn shǎo yǒu jī huì shàng chǎng.
    He is a substitute on the team and rarely gets a chance to play.
  • 替补。
    Jiào liàn yòng tā tì bǔ shòu shāng de zhǔ lì qián fēng.
    The coach used him to replace the injured starting forward.
  • 替补。
    Gōng sī lín shí zhǎo rén tì bǔ qǐng jià yuán gōng de gōng zuò.
    The company temporarily found someone to replace the work of employees on leave.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

替tìreplace
补bǔfill in

“替” means to replace and “补” means to fill in, expressing taking the place of someone or something.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

替 combines 竝, two figures side by side, with 曰; the picture shows those figures changing places.

Open 替 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 補; 补 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ補bǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 補 shows 衤 (clothes) beside 甫, which gives the sound; the simplified 补 is a later shorthand, so its shape is not the historical breakdown.

Open 补 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Sports & Athletics

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