缝补 (féng bǔ) — to sew and mend (clothing or fabric)

Definition

verb
to sew and mend (clothing or fabric)

Examples

  • 缝补。
    Nǎi nai zhèng zài féng bǔ yī fu.
    Grandma is sewing and mending clothes.
  • 缝补。
    Tā xué huì le féng bǔ pò dòng de fāng fǎ.
    He learned how to sew and mend holes.
  • 缝补。
    Zhè jiàn wài tào xū yào féng bǔ yí xià.
    This coat needs some sewing and mending.

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.

缝fèngsew
补bǔmend

缝 means sew and 补 means mend; together they describe sewing and mending clothing.

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 縫; 缝 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng縫fèng(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 縫 pairs 糸 with 逢; 逢 gives the sound, and 糸 fits the sense. The simplified 缝 is a shorthand.

Open 缝 →

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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