Japanese kanji 補: replenish, assist and supplement

The idea

補 has 12 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. The verb 補う is read おぎなう; compounds include 補給（ほきゅう）, 補助（ほじょ） and 候補（こうほ）.

Examples

• 体からだは失うしなった水分すいぶんを補おぎなうために水みずが必要ひつようです。The body needs water to replenish lost fluids.
• 図ずで説明せつめいを補おぎないました。I supplemented the explanation with a diagram.
• 山やまに登のぼる前まえに水みずを補給ほきゅうしました。We replenished our water supply before climbing the mountain.
• 助手じょしゅが先生せんせいの仕事しごとを補助ほじょしました。The assistant helped the teacher.
• 市しは修理しゅうりのために補助金ほじょきんを出だしています。The city provides a subsidy for repairs.
• その役職やくしょくには候補者こうほしゃが三人さんにんいます。There are three candidates for the position.

Watch out

補給 means replenishing supplies, while 補助 means assistance; 補助金 is a subsidy. Do not confuse 補 with 捕, which appears in words about catching.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 補う in hiragana.

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   おぎなう

   補う is おぎなう: it means to make up for something lacking, as with lost fluids.

2. Write the reading of 補給 in hiragana.

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   ほきゅう

   補給 is ほきゅう: it refers to replenishing supplies, such as water before a climb.

3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿助金（ほじょきん）［補／捕］.

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   補

   補 completes 補助金（ほじょきん）, a subsidy; 捕 is the character associated with catching.

Use it today

Write 補 using the diagram. Cover the examples, read 補う and 補給, then make a sentence about replenishing something.