How to say “lack” in Chinese
lack, be short of
“Lack” in Chinese is 缺乏, quē fá: the meaning, a recording of how it sounds, the characters stroke by stroke and examples.
How to pronounce it
缺乏 is read quē fá: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
On the left, 缶 “clay jar”: a jar with a chipped rim. The right part is the same as in 决 jué.
In 缺乏 both characters mean “lack”.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “缺乏”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 缺乏. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 这个结论缺乏数据支撑。zhègejiélùnquēfáshùjùzhīchēngThis conclusion isn't backed by data.
- 公司缺乏有效的监督机制gōngsīquēfáyǒuxiàodejiāndūjīzhìThe company lacks an effective oversight mechanism.
More words from the lesson “Breaking down a problem”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “lack” in Chinese?
“Lack” in Chinese is 缺乏, pinyin quēfá.
What does 缺乏 mean?
缺乏 (quēfá) means “lack, be short of”.
How do you write 缺乏?
缺乏 is 2 characters: 缺 (quē) — lack; flaw; 乏 (fá) — lack; tired. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 缺乏?
缺乏 is read quēfá. Tones: quē — first tone, fá — second tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“lack” in the lesson “Breaking down a problem”
This word is from the topic “More precise, more specific” of HSK 5. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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