一 + 名词 + 难求
so sought-after that even one is hard to get
Structure
（东西） 一 单音节名词 难求
What it means
A four-character news formula: something is so sought-after that even one is hard to get.
How it is built
一 + one-syllable noun (票、房、座、号、位、床) + 难求: 春运期间，火车票一票难求 (During the Spring Festival rush, train tickets are almost impossible to get). Also after 出现／造成: 出现一票难求的局面.
When to use it
News and written commentary; in speech say 票特别难买 or 根本订不到房. Pick the noun for what is actually scarce: tickets 票, rooms 房, seats 座, appointments 号.
Watch out
The noun must be one syllable, and do not add 很: ✗一酒店难求 ✓酒店一房难求; ✗很一票难求.
Examples
旺季的时候，热门小城常常一房难求。
In the high season it is often impossible to get a room in the popular little towns.
春运期间，回家的火车票一票难求。
During the Spring Festival rush, train tickets home are almost impossible to get.
这位专家的门诊一号难求，很多病人半夜就来排队。
An appointment with this specialist is so hard to get that many patients start queuing in the middle of the night.
Learn this in Lesson 143 · HSK 7–9: 去哪儿避暑 (Escaping the summer heat)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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