scarce commodity
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scarce commodity
A product or good that is available only in small quantities and whose demand exceeds supply.
Nach der schlechten Ernte wurden Kartoffeln zur Mangelware.
After the poor harvest, potatoes became a scarce commodity.
rare commodity
In a figurative sense, something that is rare or hard to find, such as a quality or a resource.
In der heutigen schnelllebigen Zeit ist Geduld eine echte Mangelware.
In today's fast-paced world, patience is a truly rare commodity.
The word is a compound made from 'der Mangel' (shortage, lack) and 'die Ware' (goods/product). So it literally means a product of which there is a shortage.
Wegen der Dürre ist sauberes Trinkwasser in der Region eine Mangelware.
Because of the drought, clean drinking water is a scarce commodity in the region.
'Mangelware' is very often used with the verbs 'sein' (to be) or 'werden' (to become). The construction 'etwas wird zur Mangelware' (something becomes a scarce commodity) describes the process of something becoming scarce.
Bezahlbarer Wohnraum ist in Großstädten Mangelware.
Affordable housing is in short supply in big cities.
In the figurative sense, 'Mangelware' is often used for abstract things or groups of people. Typical examples are: time, peace and quiet, patience, honest people, or qualified specialists.
Gute und zuverlässige Handwerker sind leider Mangelware.
Good and reliable tradespeople are unfortunately a rare commodity.
lack / defect
Mangel refers to the state of not having enough of something. Mangelware, by contrast, is the specific product that is difficult to obtain because supplies are limited. Use Mangel to name the deficit and Mangelware to name the affected good itself.
Ersatzteile für dieses alte Gerät sind inzwischen eine Mangelware.
Spare parts for this old device are now hard to come by.
Der Mangel an Ersatzteilen führt dazu, dass viele Geräte nicht repariert werden können.
The lack of spare parts means that many devices cannot be repaired.
