English–Chinese

“scarce” in Chinese

Chinese

Pronunciation

Pinyinduǎn quē

Example

这个城市短缺水资源。zhè ge chéng shì duǎn quē shuǐ zī yuán

Water resources are scarce in this city.

Illustration for 短缺 (scarce)

How to say “scarce” in Chinese

“Scarce” in Chinese is 短缺 (duǎn quē).

A supply falls below the amount needed, leaving a real gap between demand and what is available.

Full entry for 短缺: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 短缺

市场供应短缺导致物价上涨。shì chǎng gōng yìng duǎn quē dǎo zhì wù jià shàng zhǎng

The market supply shortage caused prices to rise.

Tips for using 短缺

  • In conversational Chinese, this word has a more formal, report-like tone and commonly describes resources, labor, or other supplies rather than a person's simple lack of an item.

“scarce” in other languages