补偿

• Pinyin: bǔ cháng
• Hanzi breakdown: 补 = 衤(clothing) + 卜 (phonetic); 偿 = 亻(person) + 尝 (taste, try, repay)

Meaning

To compensate; compensation; to make up for. Providing something to make amends for loss or damage.

Used for financial compensation, emotional making up, or filling a deficit. Common phrases: 经济补偿 (financial compensation), 补偿损失 (compensate for losses), 补偿心理 (compensatory psychology), 补偿机制 (compensation mechanism).

Examples

1. 公司决定给被裁员的员工一笔经济补偿。 The company decided to give the laid-off employees a financial compensation package.
2. 他想用加倍的关心来补偿对家人的亏欠。 He wants to make up for what he owes his family with extra care.
3. 政府承诺补偿受灾群众的财产损失。 The government promised to compensate disaster victims for their property losses.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, business, relationships

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们会补偿您的损失。(We will compensate for your loss.)
• 这笔补偿合理吗？(Is this compensation reasonable?)

Don't Say

• 把'补偿'和'赔偿'混用——'补偿'是中性的弥补，'赔偿'通常涉及法律责任 (Don't interchange 补偿 and 赔偿 — 补偿 is neutral making-up, while 赔偿 usually involves legal liability)

Origin & History

Compound of 补 (to mend, supplement) + 偿 (to repay, compensate), meaning to make whole again.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal