不足|ふそくfusoku[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N3approx.Common
Definitions
  1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verb, na-adjectiveinsufficiency; deficiency; shortage; lack; scarcity; deficit
    食糧しょくりょうが不足ふそくしている。↗
    Food has been in short supply.
  2. noun, na-adjectivedissatisfaction; discontent; complaint
Conjugation
Dictionary form不足する(ふそくする)
Polite (masu)不足します(ふそくします)
Negative (nai)不足しない(ふそくしない)
polite (masen)不足しません(ふそくしません)
classical zu / nu不足せず・不足せぬ(ふそくせず・ふそくせぬ)
Past (ta)不足した(ふそくした)
polite (mashita)不足しました(ふそくしました)
Past negative (nakatta)不足しなかった(ふそくしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)不足しませんでした(ふそくしませんでした)
Te form不足して(ふそくして)
Potential不足できる(ふそくできる)
Passive不足される(ふそくされる)
Causative不足させる(ふそくさせる)
Causative passive不足させられる(ふそくさせられる)
Conditional (ba)不足すれば(ふそくすれば)
tara不足したら(ふそくしたら)
Volitional不足しよう(ふそくしよう)
polite (mashou)不足しましょう(ふそくしましょう)
Imperative不足しろ(ふそくしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym不十分ふじゅうぶんNeutralPoints to something not being thorough or adequate, as in 「説明が不十分」; 「不足」 stresses a shortfall in quantity.
  • Synonym欠乏けつぼうWrittenWritten word for a lack of something needed, concrete or abstract, as in 「ビタミン欠乏」 or 「愛情の欠乏」; more formal than 「不足」.
  • Synonym手薄てうすNeutralShort of hands or thinly covered — staffing, security, stock — as in 「警備が手薄」; narrower than 「不足」.
  • Synonym欠如けつじょWrittenWritten word for the absence of a quality or ability one ought to have, mostly abstract, as in 「責任感の欠如」.
  • Synonym不全ふぜんWrittenMedical or written term for incomplete functioning, as in 「心不全」 or 「発育不全」.
  • Synonym欠けつWrittenWritten form, mostly in compounds like 「欠員」 and 「欠席」; alone it means a vacancy or unfilled slot.
  • Synonym品薄しなうすNeutralGoods in short supply — demand outstripping stock; confined to merchandise.
  • Synonym欠失けっしつWrittenWritten term for a necessary part being missing, also gene deletion; seldom used in daily speech.
  • Related不完全ふかんぜんNeutralImperfect or defective — a matter of quality or completeness; 「不足」 is about quantity.
  • Related貧しいまずしいNeutralAn adjective: poor or needy, also thin in content, as in 「貧しい発想」.
  • Related貧弱ひんじゃくNeutralThin and shabby — a frail build or meagre equipment, as in 「貧弱な体格」 or 「設備が貧弱」.
  • Related乏しいとぼしいNeutralAdjective for lacking or being scarce, as in 「経験に乏しい」; leans toward written style.
  • Related欠くかくNeutralTransitive verb 'to lack', mostly in set phrases like 「礼儀を欠く」 or 「精彩を欠く」.
  • Related欠けるかけるNeutralIntransitive verb: a piece is missing or a quality lacking, as in 「常識に欠ける」; also a chipped vessel.
  • Related欠落けつらくWrittenWritten word for a part dropping out of a whole, as in 「記憶の欠落」.
  • Related払底ふっていWrittenWritten word for material supplies running out or running dry; rare.
  • Antonym過剰かじょうNeutralAntonym: excess or surplus, as in 「供給過剰」.
  • Antonym十分じゅうぶんNeutralAntonym when read 「じゅうぶん」: enough, ample; read 「じっぷん」 it is simply ten minutes.
  • Antonym過多かたWrittenWritten antonym for an excess, often in medical or statistical terms like 「胃酸過多」.

For a shortage in quantity, 「不足」 is the default. Use 「不十分」 when something is not thorough or adequate, 「欠如」 or 「欠ける」 for a missing quality or ability, 「品薄」 for goods in short supply and 「手薄」 for thin staffing or security. Written alternatives include 「欠乏」 for a lack of something needed, 「欠落」 for a missing part of a whole, and 「欠失」 for a lost part or gene deletion. Adjectives 「乏しい」, 「貧しい」 and 「貧弱」 describe meagre or poor states. Antonyms: 「過剰」 and 「過多」 for excess, 「十分」 for sufficiency.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 足たりないこと。
  2. 不満ふまん。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

Say it right, write it right

Core lookup works fully offline, with cloud pronunciation and one-tap save & review. Free, no sign-up.

Free downloadWindowsFree downloadmacOSDownload on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
MobileiOS / Android

Android

QR code for the Google Play pageGet it on Google Play

Scan it with your Android phone to install, or search for “Tomoshi” on Google Play.

iOS

QR code for the App Store pageDownload on the App Store

Scan it with your iPhone camera to install, or search for “Tomoshi” in the App Store.

Install the browser extensionLook words up on any web page · Chrome / Edge / Safari

Screenshot of a Tomoshi lookup resultScreenshot of Tomoshi lookup results on a phone

Windows macOS Chrome / Edge / Safari extension iOS / Android