adjective / verb phrase HSK 5
indispensable · essential · cannot be lacking
Meaning
This four-character phrase means something is absolutely necessary and cannot be done without. It combines the negation 不可 (cannot/must not) with 缺少 (to lack/be short of) to express that something is so important it cannot be missing or absent.
Usage
Commonly used in formal writing and speech to emphasize the critical importance of something or someone. Often appears in the pattern '对...来说是不可缺少的' (is indispensable to...) or as a modifier before nouns. This phrase carries a strong, definitive tone and is more formal than simply saying '很重要' (very important).
Examples
- 01水是人类生存不可缺少的资源。.Water is an indispensable resource for human survival.
- 02她是我们团队中不可缺少的一员。.She is an indispensable member of our team.
Characters
Common collocations
- 不可缺少的部分an indispensable part
- 不可缺少的人才indispensable talent
- 对...不可缺少...indispensable to...
Antonyms
Origin
Formed from the modal negation structure 不可 (cannot) plus the compound verb 缺少 (to lack). This construction pattern (不可 + verb) is common in Chinese for expressing prohibition or impossibility.