1.
excess or deficiency; too much or too little; surplus or shortage
The state of having either too much or too little of something. Very commonly used in the negative form 過不足ない or 過不足なく, meaning 'just right' or 'neither too much nor too little.'
Composed of 過 (excess) + 不足 (insufficiency). This word pairs two opposites into a single concept. The most common usage is in the negative: 過不足ない or 過不足なく, meaning perfectly balanced or just right.
Common collocations
- 過不足なく: without excess or deficiency; just right
- 過不足のない: having neither too much nor too little
- 過不足を調整する: to adjust surplus and shortage
- 現金過不足: cash over/short (accounting)
Usage
The negative form 過不足ない is far more common than the affirmative. It is a useful expression for praising something as being perfectly calibrated — an explanation, a portion size, a level of formality, etc.