补充
bǔchōng · HSK 3
supplement
➕ 补 = mend/patch + 充 = fill; mend-and-fill = supplement
补 means to mend or patch (think patching clothes); 充 means to fill or stuff. Together: patch the gaps and fill them up — supplement, replenish, augment what's missing.
补 — clothes radical 衤 + 甫 (phonetic)
补 is a phono-semantic compound. The left side 衤 (clothes radical) gives the meaning, originally referring to patching or mending clothes. The right side 甫 supplies the sound. From 'mend a garment' the meaning broadened to 'repair, supplement, make up for'.
充 — 育 (raise/grow) on top of 儿 (legs/person)
Originally depicted a person walking forward, suggesting movement and advancement. The form combines a growth element above with a person below, evoking the sense of being filled up or made full as one grows. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'go forward' to 'fill, fulfill, abundant'.