缺少
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
缺少 (quēshǎo) · to lack
缺少 (quēshǎo) means “to lack; to be short of”. It is written with 2 characters: 缺 (to lack) + 少 (few). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 缺少 is built
The characters
缺 quē · to lack
What 缺 is made of
- 缶fǒu — earthen crock or jar
- 山shān — mountain
- 凵qiǎn — container
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 山shān — mountain
- 夬guài — decisive
- 大dà — big
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 人rén — person
- 大dà — big
Origin hint: 缶 gives the meaning, 夬 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
少 shǎo · few
What 少 is made of
- 小xiǎo — small
- 亅 — hook
- 八bā — eight
- 丿 — falling stroke
Origin hint: Grains of sand; 小 provides the pronunciation and meaning (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
这里缺少老师。Zhèlǐ quēshǎo lǎoshī.There's a shortage of teachers here.
他缺少工作经验。Tā quēshǎo gōngzuò jīngyàn.He lacks work experience.
Questions about 缺少
What does 缺少 mean?
缺少 (quēshǎo) means “to lack; to be short of”.
How do you pronounce 缺少?
缺少 is pronounced quēshǎo.
Which HSK level is 缺少?
缺少 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 缺点quēdiǎnshortcoming
- 缺乏quēfáto lack
- 缺口quēkǒugap
- 缺席quēxíto be absent
- 缺陷quēxiàndefect
- 缺quēto lack
- 多少duōshaohow many
- 不少bùshǎomany
- 青少年qīngshàoniánteenager
- 少数shǎoshùfew
Learn 缺少 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 89: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.