noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
filling a hole; plugging a gap
Literal sense: filling a physical hole, crack, or empty space with material.
壁の穴埋めにパテを使った。
I used putty to fill the hole in the wall.
Figurative use: filling a temporary gap in a schedule, team, publication, etc. Often implies a provisional or makeshift solution.
急な欠員の穴埋めに、アルバイトを雇った。
We hired a part-timer to fill the sudden vacancy.
雑誌の穴埋め記事を書く。
I write filler articles for the magazine.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
making up for a loss; covering a deficit; compensation
Used for offsetting financial losses, shortages, or damage. Often appears in business or accounting contexts.
赤字の穴埋めに貯金を崩した。
I used my savings to cover the deficit.
損失の穴埋めをする方法を考える。
We think of ways to make up for the loss.
noun
fill-in-the-blank exercise; cloze test
Specific educational use: a test or worksheet where learners fill in missing words. Often part of the compound 穴埋め問題.
See also: 穴埋め問題
英語の授業で穴埋め問題を解いた。
We did fill-in-the-blank exercises in English class.