xiūbǔ: 修补 - To Mend, Patch, Repair

• Keywords: xiūbǔ, 修补, mend in Chinese, repair in Chinese, patch up, fix a hole, Chinese for mending clothes, repair relationships, mend a road, patch a software bug, fix a crack
• Summary: Learn the versatile Chinese verb 修补 (xiūbǔ), which means “to mend,” “to patch,” or “to repair.” This comprehensive guide explores how to use xiūbǔ for both literal tasks, like mending clothes and fixing potholes, and figurative ones, such as patching up a relationship or fixing a software bug. Understand its cultural roots in frugality and its practical application in modern Chinese, with clear examples to help you master its usage.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xiūbǔ
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To mend or patch something that is broken, worn, torn, or has a hole.
• In a Nutshell: 修补 (xiūbǔ) is your go-to word when you're fixing something by filling in a gap, a crack, or a hole. Think of putting a patch on torn jeans, filling a pothole in the road, or even “patching up” a flawed plan. It’s about making something whole again by adding material, effort, or information to fix an imperfection.

• 修 (xiū): This character's core meaning is “to repair,” “to build,” or “to cultivate.” You can think of it as combining a person (亻) with a tool (攸) to perform a constructive or corrective action. It's the general action of fixing.
• 补 (bǔ): This character means “to patch,” “to supplement,” or “to make up for.” The clothing radical (衤) on the left clearly hints at its origin: mending or patching clothes.
• How they combine: The general action of “repairing” (修) is combined with the specific action of “patching” or “supplementing” (补). Together, 修补 (xiūbǔ) creates a vivid word for mending things, especially by filling in what's missing.

The word 修补 (xiūbǔ) taps into the traditional Chinese value of 节俭 (jiéjiǎn), or frugality. For generations, mending and reusing items, especially clothing, was not just a necessity but a virtue. A person who could 修补 their own belongings was seen as resourceful and responsible. This contrasts with the “fast fashion” or disposable culture that has become more prevalent in some Western societies, where it's often easier and cheaper to replace a torn shirt than to mend it. While this is also changing in China, the concept of 修补 as a positive, resourceful act remains deeply ingrained. Metaphorically, the idea of 修补关系 (xiūbǔ guānxì), or “mending a relationship,” is very significant. It aligns with the cultural emphasis on maintaining social harmony. Unlike the casual American phrase “patch things up,” which can sometimes imply a temporary fix, 修补关系 suggests a more earnest and deliberate effort to restore a relationship to its original, harmonious state, filling the “hole” created by a conflict.

修补 is a common and practical word used in various contexts, from daily life to technology.

• Household & Daily Life: This is the most common usage. It's used for mending clothes, patching up walls, fixing cracks in pottery, or repairing a leaky roof. It's a very hands-on, tangible word.
• Public Works: You will often hear or see 修补 used in the context of infrastructure, such as 修补道路 (xiūbǔ dàolù) (patching roads) or 修补桥梁 (xiūbǔ qiáoliáng) (repairing bridges).
• Technology & Business (Figurative): In the digital age, 修补 is the standard term for patching software. A programmer will 修补漏洞 (xiūbǔ lòudòng), which means “to patch vulnerabilities/bugs.” It can also be used for fixing a flawed plan or argument.
• Relationships (Figurative): As mentioned, it's used to describe the act of mending a friendship, family tie, or romantic relationship after a disagreement.

The word is generally neutral in connotation and can be used in both formal and informal settings.

• Example 1:
  • 妈妈正在用针线修补我破了的牛仔裤。
  • Pīnyīn: Māma zhèngzài yòng zhēnxiàn xiūbǔ wǒ pòle de niúzǎikù.
  • English: Mom is using a needle and thread to mend my torn jeans.
  • Analysis: A classic, literal use of 修补 for mending clothing.
• Example 2:
  • 工人们正在修补路面上的坑洼。
  • Pīnyīn: Gōngrénmen zhèngzài xiūbǔ lùmiàn shàng de kēngwā.
  • English: The workers are patching the potholes on the road surface.
  • Analysis: This shows 修补 used for public infrastructure repair.
• Example 3:
  • 他们吵架后，他一直在想办法修补两人的关系。
  • Pīnyīn: Tāmen chǎojià hòu, tā yīzhí zài xiǎng bànfǎ xiūbǔ liǎng rén de guānxì.
  • English: After they argued, he has been trying to find a way to mend their relationship.
  • Analysis: A very common figurative use of 修补 for interpersonal relationships.
• Example 4:
  • 这个旧花瓶可以被修补，但裂缝还是会很明显。
  • Pīnyīn: Zhège jiù huāpíng kěyǐ bèi xiūbǔ, dàn lièfèng háishì huì hěn míngxiǎn.
  • English: This old vase can be repaired, but the crack will still be very visible.
  • Analysis: Here, 修补 implies a functional fix, but not necessarily a perfect restoration.
• Example 5:
  • 程序员发布了一个更新来修补软件的安全漏洞。
  • Pīnyīn: Chéngxùyuán fābùle yīgè gēngxīn lái xiūbǔ ruǎnjiàn de ānquán lòudòng.
  • English: The programmer released an update to patch the software's security vulnerability.
  • Analysis: This is the standard term for patching software bugs in the tech industry.
• Example 6:
  • 我们的屋顶漏水了，必须马上找人来修补。
  • Pīnyīn: Wǒmen de wūdǐng lòushuǐ le, bìxū mǎshàng zhǎo rén lái xiūbǔ.
  • English: Our roof is leaking, we must find someone to repair it immediately.
  • Analysis: A common household problem where 修补 is the perfect verb.
• Example 7:
  • 渔夫在出海前，会仔细修补他的渔网。
  • Pīnyīn: Yúfū zài chūhǎi qián, huì zǐxì xiūbǔ tā de yúwǎng.
  • English: Before going out to sea, a fisherman will carefully mend his fishing nets.
  • Analysis: Shows the word's connection to traditional crafts and resourcefulness.
• Example 8:
  • 历史学家们的工作之一就是修补历史记录中的空白。
  • Pīnyīn: Lìshǐ xuéjiāmen de gōngzuò zhī yī jiùshì xiūbǔ lìshǐ jìlù zhōng de kòngbái.
  • English: One of the jobs of historians is to fill in the gaps in the historical record.
  • Analysis: A highly figurative and intellectual use of 修补, meaning to “fill in” or “remedy” missing information.
• Example 9:
  • 墙上的小裂缝，我自己用腻子修补了一下。
  • Pīnyīn: Qiáng shàng de xiǎo lièfèng, wǒ zìjǐ yòng nìzǐ xiūbǔ le yīxià.
  • English: I patched the small crack on the wall myself using putty.
  • Analysis: A great example of a simple, do-it-yourself (DIY) repair.
• Example 10:
  • 他的论点有几个缺陷，需要一些额外的数据来修补。
  • Pīnyīn: Tā de lùndiǎn yǒu jǐ ge quēxiàn, xūyào yīxiē éwài de shùjù lái xiūbǔ.
  • English: His argument has several flaws and needs some extra data to patch it up.
  • Analysis: A figurative use in an academic or professional context, showing how a plan or idea can be “mended.”

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 修补 (xiūbǔ) with 修理 (xiūlǐ).

• 修补 (xiūbǔ): To Patch/Mend. Use this for holes, cracks, tears, and gaps. It's about filling something in.
  • Correct: 修补衣服 (mend clothes), 修补墙壁 (patch a wall), 修补关系 (mend a relationship).
• 修理 (xiūlǐ): To Repair/Fix. Use this for mechanical or electronic devices that have stopped working. It's about fixing a malfunction.
  • Correct: 修理电脑 (fix a computer), 修理汽车 (repair a car), 修理手表 (fix a watch).
  • Incorrect: 我要修补我的手机。(Wǒ yào xiūbǔ wǒ de shǒujī.) → This would strangely imply your phone has a physical hole you want to fill.
  • Correct: 我要修理我的手机。(Wǒ yào xiūlǐ wǒ de shǒujī.)

Another related term is 修复 (xiūfù), which means “to restore.” 修复 is more formal and implies returning something to its original, perfect condition, often used for art, historical artifacts, or data recovery. You 修补 a crack in a cup, but you would 修复 a Ming dynasty vase.

• 修理 (xiūlǐ) - The general term for “to repair,” used for machines and electronics. The most important contrast to 修补.
• 修复 (xiūfù) - To restore, often to a perfect or original state. More formal and thorough than 修补.
• 维修 (wéixiū) - To maintain and repair. A formal term often used in technical or official contexts, like for building or equipment maintenance contracts.
• 缝补 (féngbǔ) - To mend by sewing. A more specific verb for what you do to clothes with a needle and thread.
• 弥补 (míbǔ) - To make up for, to remedy (a loss, a deficit, a regret). A more abstract synonym, e.g., to make up for a mistake.
• 补 (bǔ) - The root character for “to patch” or “to supplement.” It appears in many words like 补课 (bǔkè) - to make up a missed class.
• 漏洞 (lòudòng) - A leak, hole, or vulnerability. This is often the “thing” that needs to be 修补-ed, both literally (a leak) and figuratively (a software bug).
• 裂缝 (lièfèng) - A crack or fissure. Another common object that you would 修补.