Chinese–EnglishWith examples

不足

bù zú · bu zu

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. insufficient
  2. lacking
  3. deficiency
  4. not enough
  5. inadequate
  6. not worth
  7. cannot
  8. should not
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In a conversation

0:18 cartoon

Short of sleep

  1. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)怎么(zěnme)一直(yīzhí)打哈欠(dǎhāqian)？

    Why do you keep yawning?

  2. Dengdeng

    睡眠(shuìmián)不足(bùzú)，昨晚(zuówǎn)只(zhǐ)睡(shuì)了(le)四个(sìgè)小时(xiǎoshí)。

    I did not sleep enough. Last night I slept only four hours.

  3. Liangliang

    为什么(wèishénme)睡(shuì)这么(zhème)少(shǎo)？

    Why so little sleep?

  4. Dengdeng

    昨晚(zuówǎn)的(de)比赛(bǐsài)太(tài)好看(hǎokàn)了(le)，我(wǒ)看(kàn)到(dào)半夜(bànyè)。

    Last night's match was so good. I watched until midnight.

  5. Liangliang

    那(nà)今晚(jīnwǎn)早点(zǎodiǎn)睡(shuì)，睡眠(shuìmián)不足(bùzú)对(duì)身体(shēntǐ)不好(bùhǎo)。

    Then sleep early tonight. Not enough sleep is bad for you.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

通(tōng)过(guò)这(zhè)次(cì)比(bǐ)赛(sài)，我(wǒ)意(yì)识(shí)到(dào)自(zì)己(jǐ)的(de)不(bù)足(zú)。

Through this match, I realized my inadequacies.

Tatoeba: Chinese by trieuho · English by trieuho · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

所(suǒ)有(yǒu)的(de)罪(zuì)恶(è)源(yuán)于(yú)金(jīn)钱(qián)的(de)不(bù)足(zú)

The lack of money is the root of all evil.

Tatoeba: Chinese by elizabethchan · English by cris · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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