缺少
quēshǎo · HSK 3
lack
📉 缺少 = 缺 (lack) + 少 (few) — doubly emphasizes shortage
缺 means missing or deficient, and 少 means few or little. Stacking the two synonyms intensifies the sense of being short on something. Common in phrases like 缺少经验 (lack experience).
缺 — 缶 (jar) + 夬 (phonetic)
Originally a semantic-phonetic compound: the 缶 component depicts an earthenware jar, while 夬 supplies the sound. The character first referred to a broken or chipped pot, then broadened to mean 'lacking,' 'missing,' or 'deficient' in general.
少 — 小 (small) + 丿 (slash stroke)
Originally a pictograph showing four small dots or grains, suggesting 'few' or 'small in quantity'. Over time it became distinguished from 小 (small) by adding a downward stroke. The core meaning shifted toward 'few' or 'little in number', while 小 kept the sense of physical smallness.