míbǔ: 弥补 - To Make Up For, Compensate, Remedy

• Keywords: mibu, 弥补, make up for, compensate for, remedy a mistake, fill a gap, Chinese word for regret, make amends, how to say compensate in Chinese, mibu vs buchang.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese verb 弥补 (míbǔ), which means “to make up for,” “to compensate,” or “to remedy.” This page explores how to use `弥补` to talk about making up for a mistake, compensating for a loss, or remedying a personal regret. Discover its cultural significance in showing sincerity and restoring harmony, and learn the crucial difference between `弥补 (míbǔ)` and `补偿 (bǔcháng)`.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): míbǔ
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To compensate for a loss or deficiency; to make up for; to remedy.
• In a Nutshell: `弥补` is the action of filling a hole or fixing a deficit. Think of it as actively trying to restore balance after something has gone wrong or is lacking. This “hole” can be a mistake you made, a financial loss, a weakness in your skills, or even a regret from the past. `弥补` is about more than just apologizing; it's about taking concrete steps to fix the problem and make things right again.

• 弥 (mí): This character means “to fill,” “to cover,” or “to permeate.” Imagine it as spreading something out to cover a gap or a space completely.
• 补 (bǔ): This character means “to patch,” “to mend,” or “to supplement.” The radical 衤 (a form of 衣 - yī) means clothing. So, you can picture `补` as patching a hole in a piece of clothing.

When combined, 弥补 (míbǔ) creates a powerful visual metaphor: to fill (弥) a hole by patching (补) it. This perfectly captures the essence of mending a mistake, compensating for a loss, or making up for a regret.

In Chinese culture, the act of `弥补` is often more significant than a verbal apology. It demonstrates sincerity (诚意 - chéngyì) and a genuine commitment to restoring harmony (和谐 - héxié) in a relationship or situation. Let's compare it to the Western concept of “making amends.” While similar, `弥补` is less transactional and more holistic. In the West, “compensating” someone might primarily involve a legal or financial settlement. In China, `弥补` can be deeply personal. For instance, an adult child who feels they neglected their parents might `弥补` by spending much more time with them, not just by giving them money. The action is a direct remedy for the specific emotional or relational gap. This concept is also tied to “face” (面子 - miànzi). Committing a fault can cause someone to lose face. Taking decisive action to `弥补` the mistake is a powerful way to restore one's own face and show respect for the face of the person who was wronged. It's a proactive measure to repair social and personal harmony.

`弥补` is a versatile word used in many modern contexts, from personal relationships to formal business reports.

• Personal Relationships: Used for making up for a mistake, a forgotten promise, or a period of neglect.
  • Example: Forgetting an anniversary and trying to `弥补` it with a special dinner.
• Self-Improvement & Regret: A very common usage is to describe making up for past regrets or deficiencies.
  • Example: Studying English intensely to `弥补` for not learning it well in school.
• Business & Formal Contexts: Used to talk about compensating for financial losses, fixing defects, or closing security loopholes.
  • Example: A company issuing a statement on how it will `弥补` losses caused by a product recall.
• Abstract Concepts: It can be used for intangible things, like making up for a lack of talent with hard work.

The connotation of `弥补` is generally neutral to positive. It describes a positive action taken to fix a negative situation.

• Example 1:
  • 为了弥补我的过错，我请她吃了一顿大餐。
  • Pinyin: Wèile míbǔ wǒ de guòcuò, wǒ qǐng tā chīle yí dùn dàcān.
  • English: In order to make up for my mistake, I treated her to a big meal.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example of using an action (treating to a meal) to `弥补` a personal mistake (过错).
• Example 2:
  • 他每天努力工作，希望能弥补公司的经济损失。
  • Pinyin: Tā měitiān nǔlì gōngzuò, xīwàng néng míbǔ gōngsī de jīngjì sǔnshī.
  • English: He works hard every day, hoping to make up for the company's financial losses.
  • Analysis: Here, `弥补` is used in a formal, business context to mean compensating for a financial loss (损失).
• Example 3:
  • 他用勤奋弥补了天赋的不足。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng qínfèn míbǔ le tiānfù de bùzú.
  • English: He made up for his lack of natural talent with diligence.
  • Analysis: This shows `弥补` being used for an abstract concept. The “gap” is a lack of talent (天赋的不足), and the “patch” is hard work (勤奋).
• Example 4:
  • 没有什么能够弥补失去家人的痛苦。
  • Pinyin: Méiyǒu shénme nénggòu míbǔ shīqù jiārén de tòngkǔ.
  • English: Nothing can make up for the pain of losing a family member.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the limits of `弥补`. It's often used in the negative to express that a loss is so great that it cannot be remedied.
• Example 5:
  • 政府正在采取措施，弥补城乡之间的教育差距。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài cǎiqǔ cuòshī, míbǔ chéngxiāng zhījiān de jiàoyù chājù.
  • English: The government is taking measures to bridge the educational gap between urban and rural areas.
  • Analysis: `弥补` is used here to mean “bridge” or “close” a gap or disparity (差距).
• Example 6:
  • 现在开始学习还不晚，可以弥补以前浪费的时间。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài kāishǐ xuéxí hái bù wǎn, kěyǐ míbǔ yǐqián làngfèi de shíjiān.
  • English: It's not too late to start studying now; you can make up for the time you wasted before.
  • Analysis: This is a common and encouraging use of `弥补` related to self-improvement and regret (遗憾).
• Example 7:
  • 这个新功能弥补了我们软件的一个主要缺陷。
  • Pinyin: Zhège xīn gōngnéng míbǔ le wǒmen ruǎnjiàn de yí ge zhǔyào quēxiàn.
  • English: This new feature remedies a major defect in our software.
  • Analysis: In a tech or product context, `弥补` means to fix a flaw or defect (缺陷).
• Example 8:
  • 他送了一份昂贵的礼物，但这并不能弥补他带来的情感伤害。
  • Pinyin: Tā sòng le yí fèn ángguì de lǐwù, dàn zhè bìng bùnéng míbǔ tā dàilái de qínggǎn shānghài.
  • English: He gave an expensive gift, but it couldn't make up for the emotional damage he caused.
  • Analysis: This highlights that `弥补` often requires an appropriate action. A material gift may not be able to `弥补` an emotional wound.
• Example 9:
  • 我想为你做点什么来弥补。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng wèi nǐ zuò diǎn shénme lái míbǔ.
  • English: I want to do something to make it up to you.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct, and very common phrase used when you know you've done something wrong and want to offer amends.
• Example 10:
  • 一个好的睡眠可以弥补前一天晚上的疲劳。
  • Pinyin: Yí ge hǎo de shuìmián kěyǐ míbǔ qián yì tiān wǎnshang de píláo.
  • English: A good sleep can make up for the fatigue from the night before.
  • Analysis: This shows `弥补` used in a very practical, everyday health context. The “gap” is your energy, and “sleep” is the patch.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between `弥补 (míbǔ)` and `补偿 (bǔcháng)`.

• `弥补 (míbǔ)`: To make up for, to remedy. It's broader and can be used for abstract things like mistakes, regrets, time, emotional harm, or a lack of skill. The focus is on the action of filling a gap or fixing a deficit.
• `补偿 (bǔcháng)`: To compensate, to reimburse. It is more specific and almost always refers to a tangible or quantifiable compensation, like money, goods, or time off. It's often used in legal, financial, or employment contexts.

Rule of Thumb: If you can replace “make up for” with “reimburse” or “give compensation for,” use `补偿 (bǔcháng)`. Otherwise, `弥补 (míbǔ)` is probably the right choice.

• Correct: 公司会补偿你的加班时间。 (Gōngsī huì bǔcháng nǐ de jiābān shíjiān.) - The company will compensate you for your overtime.
• Incorrect: 公司会~~弥补~~你的加班时间。 (Here, `弥补` sounds unnatural because overtime work requires direct, quantifiable compensation, not an abstract “making up for.”)
• Correct: 他努力工作来弥补他犯的错误。 (Tā nǔlì gōngzuò lái míbǔ tā fàn de cuòwù.) - He worked hard to make up for the mistake he made.
• Incorrect: 他努力工作来~~补偿~~他犯的错误。 (Using `补偿` here would imply he was trying to pay a financial price for his mistake, which is not the intended meaning.)

False Friend Alert: “Make up” in English has many meanings. `弥补` only means “to make up for.”

• To “make up” after a fight (reconcile) is 和好 (héhǎo).
• To “make up” a story (invent) is 编 (biān) or 杜撰 (dùzhuàn).
• To wear “makeup” (cosmetics) is 化妆 (huàzhuāng).

• 补偿 (bǔcháng) - To compensate or reimburse. A more transactional term, often involving money or goods, as explained above.
• 挽回 (wǎnhuí) - To retrieve or redeem. Similar to `弥补` but focuses on getting back something that was about to be lost (e.g., `挽回损失` - to recover a loss; `挽回面子` - to save face).
• 补救 (bǔjiù) - To remedy or rescue. Implies a more urgent fix for a situation that has already gone wrong. Think of it as first aid or damage control.
• 遗憾 (yíhàn) - Regret; pity. This is the feeling or state that often motivates the action of `弥补`.
• 过错 (guòcuò) - Fault; mistake. This is the specific error that one often needs to `弥补`.
• 损失 (sǔnshī) - Loss; damage. This is the deficit, often financial or material, that needs to be made up for.
• 改正 (gǎizhèng) - To correct. Focuses on changing the error or bad habit itself, whereas `弥补` focuses on dealing with the negative consequences of that error.
• 不足 (bùzú) - Insufficient; a lack. This is the general “deficiency” or “shortcoming” that one might try to `弥补`.