缺
Meaning
- deficiency
- lack
- scarce
Example sentence
燃料短缺。
There was a shortage of fuel.
The character 缺
缺 is 缶, an earthen jar, beside 夬: a chip out of the rim. Lacking — 缺少 to be short of, 缺点 a shortcoming, 缺课 to miss a lesson — always something that ought to be there.