人手不足(ひとでぶそく)

ひとでぶそく
noun
labor shortage, staff shortage
businesssocietywork
1. labor shortage, staff shortage, being short-handed
A condition where there are not enough workers or staff to meet demand. A widely discussed social issue in Japan due to the aging population and declining birthrate.
人手不足(ひとでぶそく)が深刻(しんこく)だ。
The labor shortage is serious.
人手不足(ひとでぶそく)で店(みせ)を閉(し)めることになった。
Due to a staff shortage, we had to close the shop.
介護(かいご)業界(ぎょうかい)では慢性的(まんせいてき)な人手不足(ひとでぶそく)が続(つづ)いている。
A chronic labor shortage continues in the nursing care industry.

Usage: A four-character compound consisting of 人手(ひとで) (manpower, workers) and 不足(ぶそく) (shortage, insufficiency). Very frequently appears in news and business contexts.

Common collocations

  • 人手不足(ひとでぶそく)を解消(かいしょう)する (to resolve a labor shortage)
  • 人手不足(ひとでぶそく)に悩(なや)む (to struggle with a staff shortage)
  • 慢性的(まんせいてき)な人手不足(ひとでぶそく) (chronic labor shortage)
  • 深刻(しんこく)な人手不足(ひとでぶそく) (severe labor shortage)

Related Words

Compare: 手(て)が足(た)りない (to be short-handed)
Compare: 供給不足(きょうきゅうぶそく) (supply shortage)
general
Added 2026.2.16 19:57 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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