adjective / verb HSK 6
Traditional 匱
deficient · lacking · exhausted · depleted
Meaning
匮 describes a state of severe shortage or depletion, whether of resources, energy, or supplies. It conveys a sense of scarcity that has reached a critical or worrying level. The character originally referred to an empty storage box or chest.
Usage
匮 is primarily used in formal or written contexts. It rarely appears alone in modern spoken Mandarin; instead, it typically appears in compounds like 匮乏 (kuìfá, to lack/be deficient) or 贫困匮乏 (pínkùn kuìfá, impoverished and lacking). When describing resource shortages or exhaustion, natives prefer these compound forms.
Examples
- 01那个地区长期资源匮乏，经济发展缓慢。, .That region has long suffered from resource scarcity, and economic development has been slow.
- 02战争期间，人们生活物资极度匮乏。, .During the war, people's living supplies were extremely scarce.
Common collocations
- 匮乏to be deficient/lacking
- 资源匮乏resource shortage
- 物资匮乏material shortage
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 匱 contains 匚 (box/container radical) and 貴 (precious/valuable), suggesting the idea of a valuable container that has become empty.