补过 (bǔ guō) — to make amends for a fault, to atone for an err…

Definition

A formal verb meaning to make amends for a past mistake or fault, often by taking corrective action. Used in written or serious contexts rather than casual speech.

verb

to make amends for a faultto atone for an error

Examples

，补过。
Tā fàn le cuò wù, xū yào rèn zhēn bǔ guō.
He made a mistake and needs to seriously make amends.
，。
Tā bǔ le yí cì guò, dàn dà jiā hái shì bù mǎn yì.
He made amends once, but everyone was still unsatisfied.
补过。
Tā tōng guò shí jì xíng dòng lái bǔ guō.
He made amends through concrete actions.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

补bǔmake up

过guòfault

补 means to make up or repair, and 过 is the fault being repaired, so the sense is to atone.

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 補; 补 is its simplified writing.

衤甫補

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 →

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 過; 过 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

咼

咼wāi過guò

Same sound today

The traditional form 過 pairs 辵 (walk) with 咼 as a sound component; the simplified 过 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 过 →

Appears in