修补

• Pinyin: xiū bǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 修 = 亻 + 攸 + 彡 (repair/cultivate); 补 = 衤 + 卜 (patch/supplement)

Meaning

To mend or patch up; to repair something damaged or defective.

Used for physical repairs (clothes, objects, buildings) and figurative restoration (relationships, reputations, policies). Implies restoring something to workable condition rather than a complete overhaul.

Examples

1. 她将破损的旗袍送到老裁缝那里修补，师傅凭借精湛手艺让衣物重焕新颜。 She took her damaged qipao to an old tailor to be mended, and with masterful craftsmanship he made it look like new again.
2. 两国政府正积极采取措施修补因贸易争端而受损的双边关系，争取尽快恢复正常交往。 The two governments are actively taking steps to repair their bilateral relationship after it was damaged by the trade dispute, hoping to restore normal relations as soon as possible.
3. 这栋历史建筑的墙壁出现裂缝，文物保护部门及时组织专业人员进行了精心修补。 Cracks appeared in the walls of this historic building, and the cultural heritage authorities promptly organized specialists to carry out careful repairs.

Usage Guide

Context: repair, diplomacy, relationships, crafts

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 双方关系出现裂痕后，应尽早坦诚沟通，积极修补，以免嫌隙加深、难以弥合。(After a rift appears in a relationship, both parties should communicate honestly and work to repair it promptly, lest the estrangement deepen and become irreparable.)
• 工匠用传统工艺修补了这件瓷器上的裂纹，修复后几乎看不出损坏的痕迹。(The craftsman used traditional techniques to mend the crack in the porcelain; after restoration, the damage was barely visible.)

Don't Say

• 修补整个系统架构 — 修补 implies patching specific damage rather than a complete redesign; for overhauling a system use 重构 or 重建; 修补 is for targeted, localised repairs

Origin & History

修 (repair/fix) + 补 (patch/supplement) — to repair and patch what is damaged

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal