2024年4月28日发(作者：)

英语中表示不足的七个单词及其用法

一、insufficient

insufficient是一个形容词，意思是“不足的”、“不充分的”，是sufficient的反义词，指数量上不能满足或

达到某一需求。例如：

He was tired because he had had insufficient sleep. 由于睡眠不足，他显得很疲倦。

These children were dwarfed by insufficient food. 这些孩子因营养不足而发育不全。

In diabetes the body produces insufficient insulin. 糖尿病患者体内不能分泌足够的胰岛素。

The food and drinks were insufficient for the needs of twenty lads. 食物和饮料不够二十个小伙

子吃。

二、inadequate

inadequate也是一个形容词，意思是“不足的”、“不充分的”，是adequate的反义词，指数量或质量上

不足以满足或达到基本的要求，或指能力、才能、资历等没有达到要求。例如：

Many illnesses are the result of inadequate sanitation. 许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

The parking facilities are inadequate for a busy shopping centre. 对于一个繁忙的购物中心来

说，停车设施不够用。

I think that his qualification is inadequate for the position. 我认为他的资历不足以胜任这个职

位。

三、lacking

lacking是一个形容词，意思是“缺乏的”、“不足的”，是一个普通用词，用法同其动词和名词，表示数

量的不足不够，或完全缺乏，常与介词in连用。例如：

A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy. 缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持

人的健康。

We are lacking in adequate fund to continue the program which has carried out for three years.

我们缺少足够的资金继续这个已经进行了三年的项目。

I believe that you seem to be lacking in frankness on the matter. 我认为在这件事上你似乎不够

坦率。

She felt nervous, increasingly lacking in confidence about herself. 她感到紧张，对自己越来越

缺乏信心。

四、deficient

deficient是一个形容词，意思是“缺乏的”、“不足的”，多指人和生物所需物质，如食物，水、维生

素、钙、铁、锌等，也可指智力或性格的缺失，常与介词in连用。例如：

Children's brains cannot develop when they are deficient in protein. 儿童大脑缺乏蛋白质就无法

发育。

A diet deficient in vitamin D may cause the disease rickets. 缺少维生素D的饮食可能导致软骨

病。

You're meddlesome, proud and deficient in patience. 你爱管闲事、骄傲且缺乏耐性。

He always have been deficient in self-confidence and decision. 他向来缺乏自信和果断。

If someone is chronically calcium or vitamin D deficient, their bones gradually get weaker. 如果

人长期缺钙或缺维生素D，骨头就会逐渐变得脆弱。

Poor drainage causes deficient soil aeration and death of the roots. 排水不良能减低土壤的透气

性，使根死亡。

五、scarce

scarce是一个形容词，意思是“稀少的”、“罕见的”，指数量少，不足，侧重强调非常紧缺，远远不能

满足需求。例如：

Due to severe frost, food and vegetables became scarce in the country. 由于严重的霜冻,国内

食品和蔬菜十分稀缺。

Despite continuing immigration, artisans were scarce. 尽管移民不断增加, 但技工还是很缺乏。

Food and fuel were scarce in this region. 这个地区食物和燃料都很短缺。

Strawberries are scarce in the market this year. 今年市场上草莓很稀少。

六、scanty

scanty是一个形容词，意思是“不足的”、“缺乏的”，侧重指数量不足，缺少程度比scarce低，而且并

非总是含消极意义。例如：

His scanty clothing did not keep out the cold. 他衣服单薄不足以御寒。

The potato crop was rather scanty this year. 今年土豆歉收。

七、meager

meager是一个形容词，意思是“不足的”、“缺乏的”，指数量或质量上不足，不够丰富或满意，常含有

贬义。例如：

The soil was too meager to support any crops. 这土壤太贫瘠，无法种植任何作物。

The food was meager and barely edible. 食物不仅少，而且难以下咽。