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短裤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
短裤duǎnkùshort pantsHSK 3, unknown, 24 strokes, rank #5220, Medium
短裤duǎnkùshortsHSK 3, unknown, 24 strokes, rank #5220, Medium
duǎnkù(duan3ku4) T3
  1. 1short pants
  2. 2shorts
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March 24, 2026

短裤(短褲)duǎnkù(duan3ku4)

短裤 (duǎn kù) refers to short pants or shorts that are typically worn in warm weather. They are commonly used for casual outings, sports, or at home, making them a versatile clothing choice.

Strokes24Frequency#5220DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In China, wearing 短裤 is common during the hot summer months, especially in southern regions, and they are often worn at family gatherings or outdoor activities.

Memory Tip

Imagine wearing '短裤' so short that they barely cover your thighs – '短' means short, and '裤' sounds like 'coo,' as if a bird is chirping in the summer breeze while you enjoy the sun in your shorts.

Meanings of 短裤

duǎnkù(duan3ku4)
1short pants
2shorts
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 短裤

短裤Simplified
短褲Traditional
24Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 短裤

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Podcast: 短裤

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AI Study Notes for 短裤

Quick Contrast

短裙 (duǎn qún) — choose 短裤 for pants, while 短裙 refers specifically to skirts.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 短裤 with 裤子 (kùzi), which simply means pants. 短裤 is more casual, so avoid using it in formal contexts. A common collocation is 短裤和T恤 (duǎn kù hé T xù), meaning 'shorts and T-shirt.'

HSK Study Tips

短裤 is not a specific HSK vocabulary word, but it relates to clothing terminology which appears in HSK levels. Students should focus on the radicals 短 (short) and 裤 (pants) to better understand related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 短裤 with 裤子, mistakenly saying '我穿裤子' (Wǒ chuān kùzi) when they mean shorts. The correct phrase would be '我穿短裤' (Wǒ chuān duǎn kù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 短裤

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Component Characters

短duǎnshort
HSK 312 strokes矢
View full entry
裤kùunderpants
HSK 212 strokes衤
View full entry

How to say short pants in Chinese

“short pants” in Chinese is短裤duǎnkù

短裤 (duǎn kù) refers to short pants or shorts that are typically worn in warm weather. They are commonly used for casual outings, sports, or at home, making them a versatile clothing choice.

When to use 短裤

Be careful not to confuse 短裤 with 裤子 (kùzi), which simply means pants. 短裤 is more casual, so avoid using it in formal contexts. A common collocation is 短裤和T恤 (duǎn kù hé T xù), meaning 'shorts and T-shirt.'

短裤 or something close to it

短裙 (duǎn qún) — choose 短裤 for pants, while 短裙 refers specifically to skirts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 短裤 with 裤子, mistakenly saying '我穿裤子' (Wǒ chuān kùzi) when they mean shorts. The correct phrase would be '我穿短裤' (Wǒ chuān duǎn kù).

Write 短裤

短
裤

Practice writing 短裤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 短裤

You can say '我想买短裤' (Wǒ xiǎng mǎi duǎn kù).

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