補苴罅漏

Chinese

		to mend; to patch; to darn to mend; to patch; to darn; to make up for a loss or deficiency	loophole
trad. (補苴罅漏)		補苴	罅漏
simp. (补苴罅漏)		补苴	罅漏

Etymology

First attested in the early 9th century, in a famous verse by Han Yu:

補苴罅漏，張皇幽眇。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]

---

补苴罅漏，张皇幽眇。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

From: c. 812, 韓愈 (Han Yu), 《進學解》, translated by Charles Hartman

Bǔjū xiàlòu, zhānghuáng yōumiǎo. [Pinyin]

You patch and mortar crack and leak,
fill out and expand the dark and oblique.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): bǔjūxiàlòu

  (Zhuyin): ㄅㄨˇ ㄐㄩ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄌㄡˋ

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: bǔjūxiàlòu
    • Zhuyin: ㄅㄨˇ ㄐㄩ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄌㄡˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: bǔjyusiàlòu
    • Wade–Giles: pu³-chü¹-hsia⁴-lou⁴
    • Yale: bǔ-jyū-syà-lòu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: buujiushiahlow
    • Palladius: буцзюйсялоу (buczjujsjalou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /pu²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡ɕy⁵⁵ ɕi̯ä⁵¹⁻⁵³ loʊ̯⁵¹/

Idiom

補苴罅漏

1. to make up for shortcomings

   • 或則睹其危險，惟知痛哭，束手待斃，不思拯救；又其上者，補苴罅漏，彌縫蟻穴，苟安時日，以覬有功。 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     或则睹其危险，惟知痛哭，束手待毙，不思拯救；又其上者，补苴罅漏，弥缝蚁穴，苟安时日，以觊有功。 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1896 August 19, Liang Qichao (梁啟超),《變法通議•論不變法之害》

     Huò zé dǔ qí wēixiǎn, wéi zhī tòngkū, shùshǒudàibì, bùsī zhěngjiù; yòu qí shàng zhě, bǔjū xiàlòu, míféng yǐxué, gǒu'ān shírì, yǐ jì yǒugōng. [Pinyin]

     Some merely perceive the danger yet do nothing but wail, resigning themselves to doom with their hands tied, without any thought of seeking salvation. Others, more capable, patch up the cracks and fill the ant-holes [to avert the collapse of the dyke], contenting themselves with temporary peace in the hope of earning merit.