供不应求

• Pinyin: gōng bù yìng qiú
• Hanzi breakdown: 供 = 亻+ 共 (to supply); 不 = negation; 应 = 广 + 人 (respond/meet); 求 = 水 variant (seek, demand)

Meaning

Supply falls short of demand; demand exceeds supply. A market condition in which the available quantity of goods or services cannot meet the quantity required.

A four-character idiom (成语) used in economics, commerce, and daily life to describe scarcity or high-demand situations. Frequently appears in news reporting, market analyses, and business discussions. The reverse — 供过于求 — describes oversupply.

Examples

1. 春节前夕，优质年货一度供不应求，电商平台纷纷提前备货。 Ahead of the Spring Festival, high-quality holiday goods were briefly in such short supply that e-commerce platforms began stocking up early.
2. 由于研发人才短缺，高端芯片设计领域长期处于供不应求的状态。 Because of a shortage of R&D talent, the high-end chip design field has long been unable to meet demand.
3. 疫情期间口罩、消毒液等防护物资严重供不应求，政府紧急扩大产能。 During the pandemic, protective supplies like masks and disinfectant were in severe shortage, and the government urgently expanded production capacity.

Usage Guide

Context: economics, business, news, market analysis

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 节假日期间，热门景点附近的民宿一房难求，完全供不应求。(During holidays, guesthouses near popular tourist spots are in such short supply that rooms are extremely hard to find.)
• 该地区技术工人供不应求，企业不得不提高薪资以吸引人才。(Skilled workers in this region are in short supply, forcing companies to raise wages to attract talent.)

Don't Say

• 用'供不应求'描述轻微的需求波动 — 供不应求 implies a genuine, notable scarcity; for mild fluctuations use 需求旺盛 or 销售火爆 instead

Origin & History

供 (to supply) + 不 (not) + 应 (to meet; to respond to) + 求 (demand). Literally: supply cannot respond to demand.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal