截長補短 jié cháng bǔ duǎn

DEFINITIONS

  1. take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)
  2. to offset each other's deficiencies
  3. to complement each other

CHARACTERS

截 jié cut off, stop, obstruct, intersect
長 cháng long; length; excel in; leader
補 bǔ mend, patch, fix, repair, restore
短 duǎn short; brief; deficient, lacking