scant

Compared meaning: not enough in amount or degree (adjective).

比较义项：不充分的，不足够的（形容词）。

• inadequate

  Broader than the others: describes something not good enough in quality, degree or amount for its purpose, and is common in everyday as well as formal writing about conditions, resources or performance.

  适用范围比另外两个词更广：形容某事物在质量、程度或数量上达不到要求，日常和正式语境中都常用来描述状况、资源或表现。

  The refugees were given inadequate food and shelter during the crisis.

  在这场危机中，难民得到的食物和住所都不充分。

• scant 本词

  Almost always modifies an abstract noun such as attention, evidence or regard, stressing an amount that is barely enough; it has a more literary, formal tone and is rarely used alone after a linking verb.

  几乎总是修饰抽象名词（如注意、证据、重视），强调数量少得几乎不够；语气比较书面化，很少单独用在系动词后面。

  She paid scant attention to the warning signs before the storm hit.

  暴风雨来临之前，她几乎没有注意到那些警示信号。

• insufficient

  The most formal and neutral of the three, common in legal, official or technical contexts, and it also works comfortably right after a linking verb such as 'was'.

  三者中最正式、最客观的说法，常见于法律、官方或科技语境，也可以自然地直接跟在系动词（如was）后面使用。

  The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the trial.

  法院裁定证据不足，无法继续审理此案。

Inadequate, scant, and insufficient all mean not enough, with different tones. Inadequate is broad, describing quality or degree that fails a need. Scant modifies abstract nouns like attention or evidence, meaning barely enough, with a literary tone. Insufficient is most formal, common in legal writing.

这三个词都表示“数量或程度不够”，但语气和搭配有所不同：inadequate强调质量或程度达不到要求，用法较为宽泛；scant强调“少得几乎不够”，常与抽象名词搭配，书面语气较重；insufficient则是最正式、最客观的说法，常见于法律、官方或科技语境。