Meaning of 缺乏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to lack; to be short of
How to use 缺乏
缺乏 is a fairly formal verb, common in writing, news, and serious speech. It usually takes abstract nouns like 经验 (jīngyàn, experience), 信心 (xìnxīn, confidence), or 资源 (zīyuán, resources). Example: 他缺乏工作经验。(Tā quēfá gōngzuò jīngyàn.) He lacks work experience.
Think of 缺 (quē) as something missing, like a gap in a wall, and 乏 (fá) as being worn out or empty. Put together, 缺乏 means you are running low on something you need.
Common mistake: Learners often use 缺乏 with countable everyday things and numbers, like 缺乏两个人. For a specific number or concrete item, use 缺少 (quēshǎo) or 少 (shǎo) instead, as in 还缺少两个人.
缺乏 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
缺 quē · deficiency · 10 strokes
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乏 fá · poor · 4 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 缺乏.
| 缺少 | quēshǎo | lack; shortage of |
| 缺点 | quēdiǎn | weak point; fault |
| 缺陷 | quēxiàn | defect; flaw |
| 缺席 | quēxí | to be absent |
| 缺口 | quēkǒu | nick; jag |
| 短缺 | duǎnquē | shortage |
| 缺失 | quēshī | lack; deficiency; shortcoming; flaw; defect |
| 欠缺 | qiànquē | to be deficient in; lapse |
| 残缺 | cánquē | badly damaged; shattered |
| 紧缺 | jǐnquē | in short supply; scarce |
| 乏味 | fáwèi | tedious |
| 空缺 | kòngquē | vacancy |
Questions about 缺乏
What does 缺乏 mean?
缺乏 (quēfá) means "to lack; to be short of" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 缺乏?
缺乏 is made of 2 characters: 缺 (10 strokes), 乏 (4 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 缺乏 an HSK word?
Yes. 缺乏 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 缺乏 and 缺少?
Both mean to lack, but 缺乏 is more formal and mostly goes with abstract things like 勇气 (yǒngqì, courage) or 营养 (yíngyǎng, nutrition). 缺少 is more flexible and can take concrete items and numbers.
Can 缺乏 be used as a noun?
It can act like a noun in phrases such as 缺乏症 (quēfá zhèng, deficiency condition) or 由于资金的缺乏 (yóuyú zījīn de quēfá, due to a lack of funds). In everyday speech it is mainly used as a verb.