<p>Basically, you can't omit 美 and 眼睛, because they are the essential parts for understanding. Without them, the sentence becomes ungrammatical and incomprehensible. Original sentence is saying: <em>we are not short of things with beauty, but the eye that can discover them.</em> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-27T01:22:06.587Z
OK thanks. You're saying 眼睛 is the object of 发现 美 like how 車 in 我的車 is the object. What if we wanted to change the meaning slightly to "we are not short of beauty, but of discovery"
Crashalot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-27T01:39:00.603Z
I will comprehend "we are not short of beauty, but of discovery" as 我们不缺少美， 而是我们没有去挖掘。
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-27T12:01:33.837Z
re answer: there are 2 美, and only the 2nd is omitted, other users made comments similar to answer, before reading Q more carefully 
they also feel that 而是缺少 **其** 发现 may be possible, which according to Chinese tendency to shorten everything as much as possible might be shortened to proposed 而是缺少发现
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-26T23:47:50.980Z
2018-08-26T23:47:50.980Z
dan
<p>This grammar page lists the following example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。</p>
  
  <p>Shēnghuó zhōng bù shì quēshǎo měi, ér shì quēshǎo fāxiàn měi de
  yǎnjing.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Would it be correct grammar to omit the 美 and 眼睛? In other words, would the grammar be correct, and the meaning preserved, with this statement:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-26T23:39:26.300Z
生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的 seems grammatical, considering 是 缺少 发现的 as 是。。。的 sentence  (in original version 的 played a different role)
user6065
<grammar><mandarin>
Proper grammar: 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的?
# Proper grammar: 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-26)

This grammar page lists the following example:

> 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现 美 的 眼睛 。
>
> Shēnghuó zhōng bù shì quēshǎo měi, ér shì quēshǎo fāxiàn měi de
> yǎnjing.

Would it be correct grammar to omit the 美 and 眼睛? In other words, would the grammar be correct, and the meaning preserved, with this statement:

> 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的

**Tags:** grammar, mandarin

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 生活 中 不是 缺少 美 ，而是 缺少 发现的 seems grammatical, considering 是 缺少 发现的 as 是。。。的 sentence  (in original version 的 played a different role)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-08-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Basically, you can't omit 美 and 眼睛, because they are the essential parts for understanding. Without them, the sentence becomes ungrammatical and incomprehensible. Original sentence is saying: *we are not short of things with beauty, but the eye that can discover them.*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: OK thanks. You're saying 眼睛 is the object of 发现 美 like how 車 in 我的車 is the object. What if we wanted to change the meaning slightly to "we are not short of beauty, but of discovery"  
> **username_2**: I will comprehend "we are not short of beauty, but of discovery" as 我们不缺少美， 而是我们没有去挖掘。  
> **username_1**: re answer: there are 2 美, and only the 2nd is omitted, other users made comments similar to answer, before reading Q more carefully  they also feel that 而是缺少 **其** 发现 may be possible, which according to Chinese tendency to shorten everything as much as possible might be shortened to proposed 而是缺少发现  

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