供不应求 (gōng bú yìng qiú) — supply falls short of demand; to be in short supply
Definition
A set phrase for when supply can't keep up with demand, leaving goods in short supply. 短缺 is a more general verb meaning 'to be lacking'; 供不应求 specifically frames the gap as supply vs. demand.
phrase
supply falls short of demandto be in short supply
Examples
- 供不应求。Zhè kuǎn xiàn liàng bǎn yùn dòng xié shàng shì hòu gōng bú yìng qiú.This limited-edition sneaker has been in short supply since its release.
- 供不应求，。Yì qíng qī jiān kǒu zhào gōng bú yìng qiú, jià gé zhǎng le bù shǎo.During the pandemic, masks were in short supply, and prices rose a lot.
- 供不应求，。Rè mén jǐng diǎn de mén piào jīng cháng gōng bú yìng qiú, xū yào tí qián yù dìng.Tickets for popular scenic spots are often in short supply and need to be booked in advance.
Appears in
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