compensation作抽象名词,一般常用作不可数名词,意思是“补偿,赔偿”。后面常接介词for,表示“损失〔损伤〕的赔偿”。compensation作“赔偿物”解或具体的一种赔偿或补偿时,前面加不定冠词a。compensation有时还指“收益,报酬,工资”。

The union is seeking compensation for two factory workers who were dismissed last week.工会正在为上星期被解雇的两名工人争取补偿金。
He paid a sum of money as a compensation for the loss in the fire.他付了一笔钱作为在这次火灾中损失的补偿。
The job is hard but the compensation is good.这份工作很辛苦,但工资还算好。