缺少 (quē shǎo) — to lack, to be short of | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A common verb for 'to lack / be short of' (time, money, experience). Stronger than 差 (which is also 'wrong' or 'inferior'), more general than the formal 缺乏.

verb

to lackto be short of

Examples

缺少，。
Yóu yú quē shǎo shí jiān, tā méi yǒu wán chéng zuò yè.
Due to a lack of time, he didn't finish his homework.
缺少，。
Tā quē shǎo gōng zuò jīng yàn, suǒ yǐ xū yào duō xué xí.
He lacks work experience, so he needs to learn more.
缺少，。
Zhè ge xiàng mù quē shǎo zhī chí, hěn nán jì xù.
This project lacks support, so it's hard to continue.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

缺quēlacking

缺 and 少 both express not enough, together meaning to lack.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

缶夬缺

Meaning part形符xíngfú

缶缶fǒuearthen pot

Sound part声符shēngfú

夬

夬guài缺quē

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

缺 pairs 缶, an earthen pot, with 夬, which gives the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 少 is drawn as four dots, perhaps three grains of sand, to indicate a few or a little.

Appears in

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