织补 (zhī bǔ) — (noun) invisible mending, darning (a technique for repairing fabric); (verb) to darn, to mend invisibly

Definition

Invisible mending of fabric: the repair is so fine the darned spot cannot be seen. It is a specialized tailoring technique, more skilled and thorough than ordinary 补.

noun
invisible mendingdarning (a technique for repairing fabric)
verb
to darnto mend invisibly

Examples

  • 织补。
    Tā zhèng zài yòng zhī bǔ jì shù xiū bǔ máo yī.
    She is using darning technique to repair the sweater.
  • 织补。
    Zhè jiàn yī fu shàng de pò dòng xū yào zhī bǔ yí xià.
    The hole in this clothing needs darning.
  • 织补，。
    Lǎo cái feng de zhī bǔ shǒu yì hěn hǎo, bǔ guò de dì fāng kàn bù chū lái.
    The old tailor's invisible mending skill is good; the repaired spots are invisible.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

织zhīweave
补bǔmend

织补 joins 织 (weave) and 补 (mend) to mean repairing fabric by weaving it back together.

Characters in this word

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 織; 织 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí織zhī
Same sound today

The traditional form 織 uses 糸, silk, with 戠 for the sound. The simplified 织 is a later shorthand.

Open 织 →

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 →

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