1
a meager + NOUN
修饰名词，表示该事物数量或质量不足。
They ate a meager meal of bread and water.
他们吃了一顿只有面包和水的简陋饭菜。
微薄的；不足的；贫乏的
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
微薄的；不足的；贫乏的
deficient in amount, quality, or extent
They ate a meager meal of bread and water.
他们吃了一顿只有面包和水的简陋饭菜。
在数量、质量或程度上不足的
deficient in amount or quality or extent
The refugees survived on meager rations of rice and beans.
难民靠微薄的大米和豆子配给生存。
AI contextual example
His meager salary could hardly cover the rent.
他微薄的薪水几乎付不起房租。
AI contextual example
The report gave only meager details about the accident.
这份报告对事故只提供了很少的细节。
AI contextual example
meager resources
匮乏的资源。
WordNet
修饰名词，表示该事物数量或质量不足。
They ate a meager meal of bread and water.
他们吃了一顿只有面包和水的简陋饭菜。
作表语，描述主语贫乏或不足。
The attendance at the meeting was meager.
会议的出席人数寥寥无几。
后接名词，说明在某方面贫乏。
The soil is meager in nutrients.
这片土壤缺乏养分。
Not this
There were meager people at the meeting.
Use this
There were few people at the meeting.
meager 表示'贫乏、不足'，通常修饰不可数名词或抽象概念（如收入、资源），不用于修饰可数复数名词（如 people）。表示数量少应用 few。
Not this
The meager of the harvest disappointed farmers.
Use this
The meagerness of the harvest disappointed farmers.
meager 是形容词，不能直接作名词。表示'贫乏'的名词形式是 meagerness（或 meagreness），应使用名词形式作为主语。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
微薄的薪水
He worked long hours for a meager salary.
他为了微薄的薪水长时间工作。
微薄的收入
They struggled to survive on a meager income.
他们靠微薄的收入艰难度日。
贫乏的饮食
The prisoners were kept on a meager diet.
囚犯们仅靠贫乏的饮食维持生命。
匮乏的资源
The rescue team had meager resources to deal with the disaster.
救援队只有匮乏的资源来应对灾难。
歉收的收成
The farmers faced a meager harvest after the drought.
干旱之后，农民们面临着歉收的收成。
微薄的收获；很少的资源
The small store offers meager pickings for anyone looking for luxury goods.
这家小店对于寻找奢侈品的人来说，能提供的东西少得可怜。
勉强维持生计；艰难度日
Many refugees eked out a meager existence in crowded camps.
许多难民在拥挤的营地里勉强度日。
挣微薄的收入；勉强糊口
She made a meager living by tutoring students after school.
她靠放学后给学生补课勉强糊口。
发长 /iː/ 音 (如 sea, tea)
Same pattern, same sound
Use meager naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象一顿饭只有几粒米（meager 音近“米格”），分量微薄，不够吃——记“不足的”。
语域：neutral 常见场景：报纸或新闻报道、正式报告与总结、资源或条件的客观描述 meager 属于中性但略偏正式的用词，通常多用于书面语、新闻报道或正式总结，表示数量、质量或程度不足；日常口语中较少使用，更常说 small 或 not enough。
作定语或表语，表示数量少或质量差
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.
Watch the sound change