修补 xiūbǔ to mend
How to remember 修补: 修 repair + 补 to fix = to mend.
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How it is used
- To patch/mend something damaged - 修补衣服 (xiūbǔ yīfu) to mend clothes; 修补漏洞 (patch a hole/loophole).
- The 补 (patch) implies filling in a defect or hole, restoring wholeness; often for surfaces, roads, tires, relationships.
- Compare 修理 (xiūlǐ, repair machinery) - 修补 is specifically about patching gaps and tears, literal or figurative (修补关系, mend a relationship).