shorthanded; undermanned
Describes a situation where there are not enough people to handle the work or task.
今日はスタッフが手薄で、対応が遅れています。
We are shorthanded today, so responses are delayed.
Security at this building gets thin at night.
A burglar broke in when security was undermanned.
insufficient; in short supply; low
Used for stock, money, resources, or anything that is lacking in quantity.
資金が手薄で、新規事業に踏み切れない。
We can't go ahead with the new project because funds are insufficient.
商品の在庫が手薄になってきた。
The stock of goods is running low.
Stock of the popular item is running low.
The burglar targeted the poorly guarded back door.
The project's funds are starting to run short.
人手不足 spells out 'labor shortage' explicitly, whereas 手薄 is a shorter, slightly softer way to say a place or team is shorthanded.
欠乏 is a formal, often technical word for a lack of something (like nutrients or funds), while 手薄 is more everyday and often describes staffing or stock running thin.
手厚い describes generous, well-staffed or well-provided care (e.g. thick security), the opposite of 手薄, which describes thin, undermanned coverage.
豊富 means abundant or plentiful, the opposite of 手薄 when it describes stock, funds, or resources being low.
希薄 shares the kanji 薄 with 手薄 but means 'diluted' or 'thin in concentration/spirit' (as in 希薄な意識), not a shortage of people or goods.
Compound of 手 (hand, worker) and 薄 (thin, weak), literally 'thin-handed'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the meaning has been extended from lack of people to lack of resources.