kyut3 siu2缺少
Jyutpingkyut3 siu2
Yalekyut síu
Definition
To lack, be short of, or be completely missing something.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
While 缺少 is understood in Cantonese, it often sounds slightly formal or written compared to the more common spoken alternatives. In everyday conversation, people usually prefer using 唔夠 or 冇嚟表達 lack or shortage. It is most frequently used when discussing abstract concepts or specific missing components in a set.
Examples
Our home is still missing one chair.
What do you think is missing from this plan?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 缺少 interchangeably with 唔夠, but 缺少 implies a more significant or structural absence, whereas 唔夠 simply means not enough of something that is already present.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
