Scarcity is a situation in which there is not enough of something — water, houses, tickets, time, teachers.

Scarcity短缺 is a situation in which there is not enough of something是指某樣東西不夠的情況 — water, houses, tickets, time, teachers像水、房子、票、時間、老師都可能不夠。

Economists use it as a big idea: most things people want are scarce, so we have to choose. In ordinary talk it is close to shortage, but a little more formal. You meet it in the news and in school essays more than in chat.

Economists use it as a big idea經濟學家把它當成一個重要概念來用: most things people want are scarce人們想要的東西大多是稀少的, so we have to choose所以我們必須做選擇。In ordinary talk在日常說法裡 it is close to shortage它跟短缺（shortage）意思相近, but a little more formal但語氣稍微正式一點。You meet it in the news and in school essays你會在新聞和學校作文裡遇到它 more than in chat比在閒聊裡更常見。

It can be short-term (“a scarcity of rain this year”) or a standing fact (“land is scarce in the city”). Though actually, speakers stretch it to things you cannot really count, like “a scarcity of kindness.” On the surface the word is scarce plus -ity: the state of being scarce.

It can be short-term它可以是短期的 ("a scarcity of rain this year"像「今年雨水稀少」) or a standing fact或是一個長期的事實 ("land is scarce in the city"像「城市裡土地稀少」)。Though actually不過其實, speakers stretch it to things you cannot really count人們也會把它用在真的無法計量的東西上, like "a scarcity of kindness"比如「善意的稀缺」。On the surface從字面上看 the word is scarce plus -ity這個詞是 scarce 加上 -ity: the state of being scarce也就是「稀少的狀態」。