Usage note
不够表示数量、程度或时间不足。
bú gòu biǎo shì shù liàng 、 chéng dù huò shí jiān bù zú。
Not enough means insufficient in quantity, degree, or time.
Context note
不够常出现在钱、时间、食物和能力里。
bú gòu cháng chū xiàn zài qián 、 shí jiān 、 shí wù hé néng lì lǐ。
Not enough often appears with money, time, food, and ability.
5 examples
钱不够。
qián bú gòu。
The money is not enough.
时间不够。
shí jiān bú gòu。
The time is not enough.
水不够了。
shuǐ bú gòu le。
There is not enough water.
我吃得不够。
wǒ chī dé bú gòu。
I did not eat enough.
这个答案不够好。
zhè ge dá àn bú gòu hǎo。
This answer is not good enough.
5 mini stories
今天的时间不够，我们明天再做。
jīn tiān de shí jiān bú gòu， wǒ men míng tiān zài zuò。
There is not enough time today, so we will do it tomorrow.
水不够了，妈妈让我再去倒一点。
shuǐ bú gòu le， mā ma ràng wǒ zài qù dǎo yì diǎn。
There is not enough water, and Mom asked me to pour some more.
钱不够的时候，我们可以先想别的办法。
qián bú gòu de shí hòu， wǒ men kě yǐ xiān xiǎng bié de bàn fǎ。
When there is not enough money, we can think of another way first.
我觉得这道题的答案还不够完整。
wǒ jué de zhè dào tí de dá àn hái bú gòu wán zhěng。
I think the answer to this problem is still not complete enough.
如果吃得不够，下午会没有力气。
rú guǒ chī dé bú gòu， xià wǔ huì méi yǒu lì qi。
If you do not eat enough, you will have no energy in the afternoon.
Mini dialogue
画画时间
A
我想画一幅很大的画。
Wǒ xiǎng huà yī fú hěn dà de huà.
I want to draw a very big picture.
B
这张纸不够大，我们换一张吧。
Zhè zhāng zhǐ bù gòu dà, wǒmen huàn yī zhāng ba.
This paper is not big enough; let's change to another one.
买文具
A
我想买三支笔。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi sān zhī bǐ.
I want to buy three pens.
B
我的钱不够，只能买两支。
Wǒ de qián bù gòu, zhǐ néng mǎi liǎng zhī.
My money is not enough; I can only buy two.
Related words and contrasts
similar
不足
bùzú
insufficient; lacking
A more formal way to say not enough.
opposite
足够
zúgòu
enough; sufficient
The positive form meaning there is what is needed.
related
缺少
quēshǎo
to lack; to be short of
A verb meaning to be missing something needed.