1
a scarcity of [something]
There is a scarcity of clean water in many regions.
许多地区存在清洁水的短缺。
稀缺；不足；短缺
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
稀缺；不足；短缺
the condition of being scarce or in short supply; an inadequate amount of something
There is a scarcity of clean water in many regions.
许多地区存在清洁水的短缺。
某物稀缺或不足的状态。
The condition of something being scarce or deficient.
数量少且不足
a small and inadequate amount
某物数量不足；短缺。
An inadequate amount of something; a shortage.
The scarcity of clean water is a major issue in many developing countries.
在许多发展中国家，清洁水的缺乏是一个主要问题。
Due to the scarcity of resources, the company had to cut down on production.
由于资源的不足，公司不得不减少生产。
The scarcity of affordable housing has led to increased homelessness in the city.
经济适用房的缺乏导致城市中无家可归者增多。
There is a scarcity of clean water in many regions.
许多地区存在清洁水的短缺。
The scarcity of skilled workers is a major concern.
熟练工人的缺乏是一个主要问题。
In times of scarcity, people must conserve resources.
在稀缺时期，人们必须节约资源。
Not this
The water is scarcity.
Use this
Water is scarce.
“Scarcity”是名词，而“scarce”是形容词。表示“水稀缺”应使用形容词“scarce”，不应用名词“scarcity”作为表语。
Not this
There is a scarcity for clean water.
Use this
There is a scarcity of clean water.
名词“scarcity”表示某物的缺乏时，后面应搭配介词“of”，而不是“for”。因此，正确的介词是“of”。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
水资源短缺
Many arid regions face severe water scarcity.
许多干旱地区面临严重的水资源短缺。
粮食短缺
Food scarcity affects millions of people around the world.
粮食短缺影响着全世界数百万人。
严重短缺
The city experienced a severe scarcity of housing after the earthquake.
地震后这个城市出现了严重的住房短缺。
日益短缺
There is growing scarcity of affordable housing in big cities.
大城市的经济适用房日益短缺。
资源短缺
The project was delayed by a scarcity of resources.
该项目因资源不足而被延误。
经济学的第一课是稀缺性：永远不会有足够的东西来满足所有想要它的人。
This quote, often attributed to economist Thomas Sowell, explains why scarcity is the fundamental economic problem: limited resources can never satisfy all human wants.
这句话常被归于经济学家托马斯·索维尔，它解释了为什么稀缺性是基本的经济问题：有限的资源永远无法满足人类所有的需求。
Use scarcity naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
scarce（稀少）+city（城市）→ 想象一座物资稀少的城市，就是 scarcity（短缺）。
语域：formal 常见场景：economics、environmental reporting、academic writing scarcity 比较正式，通常多用于学术、经济或新闻报道等书面语境；口语中更常说 shortage。使用时注意文体匹配。
这些词都以 -city 结尾，拼写相似，可用于对比 scarcity 的末尾拼写。但它们都不同韵：scarcity 的重音在第一个音节 /ˈskɛr/，其他词的重音位置或元音不同。尤其 city 的发音 /ˈsɪti/ 与 scarcity 末尾的 /sɪti/ 音段相同，但 city 的重音在第一个音节 /sɪ/ 上，而 scarcity 中 /sɪti/ 不重读，因此二者不构成严格押韵。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.