不足 (bù zú) — insufficient in Mandarin
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#1233 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR C1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
不足 is pronounced bù zú. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zhe ge li you bu zu yi zheng ming ta de qing bai.
This reason is insufficient to prove his innocence.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 不足 mean?+
不足 (bù zú) means "insufficient" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 不足?+
不足 is pronounced bù zú. It uses the tone 4 (falling), then the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 不足 in Mandarin?+
不足 is the #1233 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 不足 fits
Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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