外电报道中有这样一句话:The shrine honors convicted war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead and the visits are regarded as an insult by Japan's neighbors. Many countries in the region suffered during Japan's wartime occupation and feel that Japan has not done enough to atone for its past.
日本领导人频频参拜靖国神社,丝毫没有弥补战争过错的意思,极大的伤害了中国人民的感情。报道中的atone for 指的就是“补偿(过错);赎(罪)”。Atone一词有“赔罪;偿还”的意思。
比如:How can I atone for hurting your feelings? (我该怎样做才能弥补对你造成的伤害呢?)