短不了 duǎnbuliǎo cannot do without Definitions Defs Origin Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 短 duǎn nounadjective to lack to lack; to owe; to be short of something不 bu particle [potential] Used between a verb and its result to show that the action cannot achieve that result; used as the negative form of the 得 de potential construction了 liǎo particle [possibility] Used in potential resultative constructions after a verb and 得 de or 不 bù to indicate whether an action is possible.