be very short of

lack

deficient

lack ⇒ 短缺商品 duǎnquē shāngpǐn → commodities in short supply

vacancy

lack ⇒ 缺乏资源 quēfá zīyuán → lack the resources

be absent ⇒ 他最近常缺勤。 Tā zuìjìn cháng quēqín. → He's been absent a lot recently.

( 口子 ) gap

lack ⇒ 我这里缺少人手。 Wǒ zhèlǐ quēshǎo rénshǒu. → I'm shorthanded here.

be absent

wicked

regret

defect

shortcoming

gap

defect ⇒ 生理缺陷 shēnglǐ quēxiàn → physical defect

place quality over quantity ⇒ 对于买衣服,我的原则是宁缺毋滥。 Duìyú mǎi yīfu, wǒ de yuánzé shì nìng quē wú làn. → When buying clothes, I go by the principle of quality over quantity.

cling to the past ⇒ 要强化创新意识,不能抱残守缺。 Yào qiánghuà chuàngxīn yìshi, bùnéng bào cán shǒu quē. → We must emphasize creativity, and break the pattern of clinging to the past.