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补丁 (bǔ dīng) — patch (for mending clothes, tires, etc.); (software) patch

Definition

补丁 is a concrete noun used for both a sewn patch on clothes/tires and a software patch. Use measure word 块 in the clothing/tire sense; software patches are usually referred to with 个 or as 安装补丁.

noun
patch (for mending clothes, tires, etc.)(software) patch
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 补丁，。
    Yī fu shàng yǒu yí gè bǔ dīng, shì wǒ zì jǐ fèng de.
    There's a patch on the clothes that I sewed myself.
  • ，补丁。
    Zì xíng chē lún tāi pò le, xū yào dǎ yí gè bǔ dīng.
    The bicycle tire has a hole and needs a patch.
  • 补丁。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn ān zhuāng xīn bǔ dīng zhī hòu yùn xíng gèng wěn dìng le.
    After installing the new patch, this software runs more stably.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

补bǔmend
丁dīngpiece

“补丁” is a “丁” (piece) used for “补” (mending).

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.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

丁 may picture a nail head, a person's head, a square city wall, or a square star pattern.

Open 丁 →
Appears in
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