供不应求

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: gōng bù yìng qiú
• English Translation: Supply falls short of demand, short supply
• Idiom Composition: 「供」（To supply）＋「不」（Cannot）＋「应」（To meet, to respond）＋「求」（Demand）
• Meaning: Describes a state where supply cannot meet demand. It refers to a situation where goods or services are scarce and supply is insufficient to meet demand.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「供不应求」 contains the following nuances:

• Excess demand: Indicates that the demand for a certain product or service is very high.
• Insufficient supply: Describes a situation where production or provision cannot keep up with demand.
• Shortage: Refers to a situation where goods are scarce and difficult to obtain.
• Market imbalance: Indicates an imbalance between supply and demand in the market.

3. Usage

「供不应求」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing economic conditions: Used to explain the supply and demand relationship of a certain product or service.
  • Example:「由于原材料价格上涨，导致该产品供不应求。」
    （Due to rising raw material prices, the product is in short supply.）
• Analyzing market trends: Used to analyze the balance of supply and demand in a specific market.
  • Example:「房地产市场持续火爆，新房供不应求。」
    （The real estate market continues to be hot, and new homes are in short supply.）
• Pointing out problems: Used to point out problems caused by insufficient supply.
  • Example:「春节期间，火车票供不应求，给人们的出行带来了困难。」
    （During the Spring Festival, train tickets were in short supply, causing difficulties for people's travel.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这款新型手机一上市就供不应求，许多消费者都买不到。
   （This new model of mobile phone was in short supply as soon as it was launched, and many consumers could not buy it.）
2. 疫情期间，口罩和消毒液等防疫物资供不应求。
   （During the epidemic, anti-epidemic supplies such as masks and disinfectants were in short supply.）
3. 由于干旱，今年农作物产量下降，粮食供不应求。
   （Due to drought, this year's crop yield decreased, and food was in short supply.）
4. 这家餐厅的特色菜非常受欢迎，每天都供不应求。
   （The signature dish of this restaurant is very popular and is in short supply every day.）
5. 随着人们生活水平的提高，对高品质商品的需求不断增加，导致一些商品供不应求。
   （With the improvement of people's living standards, the demand for high-quality goods continues to increase, leading to some goods being in short supply.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Market economy: '供不应求' is an important concept for understanding supply and demand in a market economy. The balance between supply and demand significantly impacts prices and resource allocation.
• Planned economy: Imbalances in supply and demand can also occur in a planned economy, but they may not directly affect prices as much as in a market economy.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 供大于求 (gōng dà yú qiú): Supply exceeds demand
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 供过于求 (gōng guò yú qiú): Excess supply, supply exceeds demand

6. Summary

'供不应求' is an essential idiom for understanding economic activities in modern society. This term not only describes a situation of 'insufficient goods' but also implies the power dynamics of supply and demand in the market and their impact on prices and the overall economy. Understanding this idiom will allow for a deeper comprehension of economic topics frequently appearing in news and articles.