补(bǔ)

HSK 37 strokesTrad. 補

to repair

Print a 补 worksheet PDFPractice writing 补

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
bǔ
Meaning
to repair; to patch; to mend; to make up for; to fill (a vacancy); to supplement
Strokes
7
HSK level
HSK 3
Traditional
補

Origin & structure

Where 补 comes from and how its parts fit together.

Phonetic-semantic compound⿰衤卜

In this compound, the meaning comes from 衤 (cloth); 卜 supplies the sound.

One part carries the meaning, the other suggests the sound.

Made of

衤yī卜bǔ

Parts are arranged left to right.

How to write 补 step by step

7 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7

Words with 补

Common words using 补 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

hù互bǔ补
HSK 7-9

complementary; to complement each other

Open 互补 page →
xiū修bǔ补
HSK 7-9

to mend

Open 修补 page →
wáng亡yáng羊bǔ补láo牢
HSK 7-9

lit. to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom)

Open 亡羊补牢 page →
tián填bǔ补
HSK 7-9

to fill a gap

Open 填补 page →
mí弥bǔ补
HSK 7-9

to complement

Open 弥补 page →
hòu候bǔ补

to wait to fill a vacancy; reserve (candidate); alternate; substitute

Open 候补 page →
bù不wú无xiǎo小bǔ补

not be without some advantage

Open 不无小补 page →
qín勤néng能bǔ补zhuō拙

(idiom) hard work can make up for lack of natural talent

Open 勤能补拙 page →

Related characters

More HSK 3 characters

专世丰丽义乡乱争

From 补’s common words

互修亡羊牢填弥候

Ready to master 补?

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