美中不足

měi zhōng bù zú

HSK 3.0 Level 7 Rare

Definitions

1. everything is fine except for one small defect (idiom); the fly in the ointment

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item

完美无缺

wán měi wú quē

perfect and without blemish

direct antonym meaning perfect and flawless

Synonyms

1 item

白璧微瑕

bái bì wēi xiá

a slight blemish

near synonym, also means a small flaw in something otherwise perfect, more literary

Usage notes

Common mistakes

This idiom is used to point out a minor flaw in an otherwise good situation; it cannot be used for a situation that is completely bad or has major flaws.

Example Sentences

1 shown

这个地方很美，美中不足的是交通不太方便。

This place is very beautiful, but the only drawback is that the transportation is not very convenient.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 美中不足

no; not so

insufficient

within

to hit (the mark)

beautiful

excessive

foot

USA-China