‘弥补’ (mí bǔ) is a transitive verb meaning 'to make up for' or 'to compensate'—typically for a loss, deficiency, mistake, or shortcoming. The character 弥 (mí) originally means 'to fill completely' or 'to spread widely', suggesting thoroughness; 补 (bǔ) means 'to mend', 'to patch', or 'to supplement'. Together, they convey the idea of actively and fully filling a gap—whether material, emotional, temporal, or moral. It’s commonly used in formal and semi-formal contexts: academic writing, workplace communication, news reports, and reflective speech.

This word implies intentionality and effort—it’s not passive or accidental compensation. You ‘弥补’ a broken promise, a missed opportunity, a knowledge gap, or an emotional hurt. It often appears with objects like ‘损失’ (loss), ‘过失’ (mistake), ‘不足’ (shortcoming), or ‘遗憾’ (regret). Unlike casual terms like ‘补上’ (bǔ shàng), ‘弥补’ carries weight and seriousness, signaling responsibility and earnest correction.