填补

• Pinyin: tián bǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 填 = 土 (earth) + 真 — to fill; 补 = 衤(clothing) + 卜 — to mend

Meaning

To fill in; to make up for; to compensate for a gap or deficiency.

Used for filling gaps, vacancies, or shortfalls — whether physical, organizational, or abstract. Common in contexts like filling a market gap, filling a position, or making up for a loss.

Examples

1. 这款产品填补了国内市场的空白，一经推出就大受欢迎。 This product filled a gap in the domestic market and became hugely popular as soon as it launched.
2. 公司正在招聘新人，填补离职员工留下的空缺。 The company is hiring new people to fill the vacancies left by departing employees.
3. 加班费可以填补一部分房贷的压力。 Overtime pay can help offset some of the mortgage pressure.

Usage Guide

Context: business, employment, abstract

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 填补空白。(Fill the gap.)
• 填补空缺。(Fill the vacancy.)

Don't Say

• 用'填补'表示添加新内容 (Don't use 填补 for simply adding new things — it implies filling something missing)

Origin & History

填 means to fill, 补 means to mend or supplement — to fill and mend a gap.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal