If something is wanting, it does not have something it needs, or it is not as good as people expected. It is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word, and you meet it most often in a few fixed patterns.

If如果 something一個東西 is wanting是 wanting， it它 does not have少了 it needs它需要 something的某樣東西， or it或它 as people expected沒有人們預期 is not as good的那麼好。 It它 is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word是個正式、稍微老派的字， and you而你 most often最常 in a few fixed patterns在幾個固定句型裡 meet it遇到它。

The most common pattern is 'be found wanting'. This means someone or something was tested — by a hard situation, by other people's judgement — and did not pass. 'The safety system was found wanting.' 'When the crisis came, their leadership was found wanting.' Notice that nobody has to actually run a test; life tests you, and you fall short. The phrase carries a quiet disappointment, almost a judgement from above. It sounds like a report, or a serious newspaper, not like friends talking.

The most common pattern最常見的句型 is 'be found wanting'是 be found wanting。 This means它的意思是 someone or something某個人或某樣東西 was tested被考驗了—— by a hard situation被艱難的處境、 by other people's judgement被別人的評斷—— and did not pass而且沒有過關。 'The safety system was found wanting.'安全系統被發現不合格。 'When the crisis came, their leadership was found wanting.'危機來的時候，他們的領導被發現不夠格。 Notice that注意 nobody has to actually run a test不需要真的有誰去辦一場測驗； life人生 tests you會考你， and you fall short而你不及格。 The phrase這個片語 carries a quiet disappointment帶著一種安靜的失望， almost a judgement from above幾乎像從上面下來的裁決。 It它 sounds like a report聽起來像報告， or a serious newspaper或嚴肅的報紙， not like friends talking不像朋友聊天。

The second pattern is 'wanting in something', meaning lacking that quality: 'His answer was wanting in detail.' 'She is not wanting in courage' — a polite double-negative way of saying she has plenty of courage. There is also a plain use where something is simply missing or not enough: 'Two pages of the report were wanting.' This is quite formal and old; today most people would say 'missing'.

The second pattern第二個句型 is 'wanting in something'是 wanting in something， meaning意思是 lacking that quality缺少那個特質： 'His answer was wanting in detail.'他的回答缺少細節。 'She is not wanting in courage'她不缺勇氣—— a polite double-negative way of saying是有禮貌的雙重否定說法，等於說 she has plenty of courage她勇氣多得很。 There is also a plain use還有一種平實的用法， where something is simply missing or not enough就是某樣東西單純不見了或不夠： 'Two pages of the report were wanting.'報告缺了兩頁。 This is quite formal and old這相當正式也相當老； today今天 most people大多數人 would say 'missing'會說 missing。

And there is a separate use as a preposition, meaning 'without' or 'minus': 'a fortune wanting only a few dollars'. This one is now rare and mostly lives in older books and legal writing. If you only remember one thing, remember 'found wanting'.

And there is另外還有 as a preposition當介系詞用 a separate use的一個獨立用法， meaning 'without' or 'minus'意思是「沒有」或「減去」： 'a fortune wanting only a few dollars'只差幾塊錢就滿的一大筆錢。 This one這個用法 is now rare現在很少見， and mostly lives in而且大多活在 older books and legal writing比較老的書和法律文字裡。 If you only remember one thing如果你只記一件事， remember 'found wanting'就記 found wanting。

Be careful: this is a different word from the everyday 'wanting' in 'I'm wanting a coffee'. That one is just the -ing form of the verb want. The word here is an adjective and points at what is missing, not at who desires something.

Be careful小心： this這 the everyday 'wanting' in 'I'm wanting a coffee'跟 I'm wanting a coffee 裡那個日常的 wanting is a different word from是不同的字。 That one那一個 is just只是 the verb want動詞 want the -ing form of的 -ing 形。 The word here這裡這個字 is an adjective是形容詞， and points at指向的是 what is missing缺了什麼， not at who desires something不是誰想要什麼。