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填补 (tián bǔ) — to fill (a gap, vacancy, or blank); to make up (a deficiency); to compensate for

Definition

填补 means to fill a gap or vacancy, or to make up for a deficiency — used for abstract 'gaps' (空白, 空缺, 不足), not for filling in forms (that's 填写) or stuffing material (that's 填充).

verb
to fill (a gap, vacancy, or blank)to make up (a deficiency)to compensate for

Examples

  • 填补。
    Gōng sī xū yào tián bǔ yí gè xiāo shòu jīng lǐ de zhí wèi.
    The company needs to fill the position of a sales manager.
  • 填补。
    Zhè xiàng yán jiū tián bǔ le gāi lǐng yù de kòng bái.
    This research fills a gap in the field.
  • 填补。
    Tā tōng guò péi xùn tián bǔ le jì shù shàng de bù zú.
    He made up for his technical deficiencies through training.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

填tiánfill
补bǔmake up

填 means fill and 补 means make up; together they describe filling and compensating gaps.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
真
真zhēn填
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

填 combines 土 (soil) with 真, which gives the sound.

Open 填 →

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 7-9Change & Process

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