補缺

简 补缺 · 繁 補缺
Mandarin · pinyin bǔ quē

Meanings

  1. to fill a vacancy
  2. to make up for a shortage
  3. to supply a deficiency
Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

補
Look up this written character
缺
quē · be short of, lack; gap, deficit
补
bǔ · mend, patch, fix, repair, restore
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

3–1 · bu3 que1

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

2character links1same-tone record
Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

補缺 · find source passages ↗ · 补缺 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

  1. (intransitive, verb-object) to fill a vacancy or a job slot
  2. (intransitive, verb-object) to make up a deficiency; to bridge the gap

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack