deficient
deficient — 形容詞
1. containing less of something than what is necessary to stay healthy, function we
缺乏
缺少所需之物，尤指必要元素
containing less of something than what is necessary to stay healthy, function well, or achieve a goal.
Niran's diet was deficient in iron, so the doctor gave him supplements.
Niran 的飲食缺乏鐵質，因此醫生給了他補充劑。
deficient in [nutrient]
The soil in this region is deficient in nitrogen, which affects crop growth.
該地區的土壤缺乏氮，影響了作物生長。
Eating only white rice made Yuki's diet deficient in iron, causing anaemia.
只吃白米飯導致 Yuki 的飲食缺乏鐵質，引發貧血。
Femi's lab mice on a corn-only diet were deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid.
Femi 實驗室裡只吃玉米的老鼠缺乏離胺酸，這是一種必需胺基酸。
Paloma's research paper was rejected because it was deficient in supporting evidence.
Paloma 的研究論文被退回了，因為缺乏足夠的佐證資料。
- lacking
less formal, used in everyday speech
- insufficient
focuses on quantity or amount being too low
- inadequate
emphasises that the amount fails to meet a specific need
- sufficient
having enough of what is needed
- adequate
enough to meet a particular requirement
- abundant
having more than enough
文法句型
deficient in + [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently used with the preposition 'in' to specify what is lacking. Common in medical, nutritional, and academic writing. Not used in informal conversation about everyday shortages — for those, use 'short of' or 'low on'.
常見錯誤
2. below an acceptable standard of quality, completeness, or performance.
有缺陷
未達到正常品質或性能標準
below an acceptable standard of quality, completeness, or performance.
The brakes on Mizuki's car were found to be deficient during the safety inspection.
Mizuki 車上的煞車在安全檢查中被發現有缺陷。
deficient in safety-related contexts
Yael argued that the company's emergency plan was deficient in several key areas.
Yael 認為公司的應急計畫在數個關鍵領域存在不足。
School inspectors rated the teaching as deficient and ordered immediate improvements.
學校督學將教學評為不合格，並要求立即改善。
Kasia returned the product because its packaging was deficient and the items arrived damaged.
Kasia 退回了產品，因為包裝不完善，物品送達時已損壞。
Lien found the training programme deficient in practical skills development for new staff.
Lien 認為該培訓計畫在培養新進員工的實用技能方面有所欠缺。
- defective
more specific — having a clear flaw or broken part
- substandard
below an expected or required level
- flawed
having imperfections or weaknesses
- unsatisfactory
not meeting expectations, broader in meaning
- satisfactory
meeting the expected standard
- acceptable
good enough to be approved
- adequate
just meeting the required level
文法句型
deficient in + [noun/gerund]
be + deficient
用法筆記
Common in formal evaluations of quality, compliance, or performance. For everyday objects with physical flaws, 'defective' or 'faulty' is more natural. This sense also often appears in technical reports and official assessments.
常見錯誤
deficient — 名詞
1. someone or something that fails to meet the expected standard or lacks what is r
不合格品
缺乏所需或未達標準的人或物
someone or something that fails to meet the expected standard or lacks what is required.
Felix marked any circuit board that failed the voltage test as a deficient requiring rework.
Felix 將任何未通過電壓測試的電路板標記為不合格品，需要重工。
deficient as countable noun in manufacturing
Rachel's safety inspection rated the emergency exit as a deficient in the official report.
Rachel 的安全檢查將該緊急出口評定為不合格項目，載入了官方報告。
The old medical files described the children as mental deficients, a term now considered offensive.
舊病歷將這些孩子描述為心智缺陷者，這個詞如今被認為帶有侮辱性。
Tuan logged each contaminated sample as a deficient in the quality-control database.
Tuan 將每一個受污染的樣本記錄為不合格品，登錄在品管資料庫中。
The building inspector marked the wiring system as a deficient in his final report.
建築稽查員在最終報告中將該配線系統標記為不合格項目。
- defective
more common for objects with flaws
- reject
specific to manufacturing quality control
- imperfect item
clearer and less technical
- acceptable item
meets the required standard
- pass
in quality-control testing
文法句型
a/the deficient
deficients (plural)
用法筆記
The countable noun form is relatively rare in modern English. In historical medical usage, 'mental deficient' was a clinical label that is now considered outdated and derogatory. In contemporary contexts, this noun appears mostly in quality-control, auditing, or technical classifications.