‘构数’ (gòu shù) literally combines ‘构’ (gòu), meaning ‘to constitute’ or ‘to form’, and ‘数’ (shù), meaning ‘number’ or ‘quantity’. Together, it denotes a sufficient or adequate quantity—specifically, the minimum number required to meet a functional, ecological, or social threshold. It is most commonly used in wildlife conservation, animal husbandry, and ecology contexts, where maintaining a viable population size is critical—for example, ensuring enough individuals remain in a wild herd to sustain genetic diversity and breeding success.

The term carries a technical, formal tone and implies intentionality: it’s not just ‘enough’, but ‘enough for a specific purpose’. You’ll rarely hear it in casual daily speech; instead, it appears in policy documents, research reports, or veterinary management plans. Unlike general terms like ‘足够’ (zúgòu), ‘构数’ emphasizes structural sufficiency—the quantity that allows a group or system to function as intended.