HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
短
duǎn
brief
HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
短
duǎn
to lack
HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
短
duǎn
weak point
HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
短
duǎn
fault
HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
短
duǎn
brief, short; deficient, lacking
HSK 3, a, 12 strokes, radical 矢, rank #1253, Medium
duǎn(duan3) T3
1short
2brief
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
短duǎn(duan3)
The character 短 (duǎn) means 'short' or 'brief' and can describe physical length, time duration, or even abstract concepts such as a brief conversation. It is often used to indicate a deficiency or weakness in something, such as a skill or quality.
Strokes12Radical矢Frequency#1253DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of time is often viewed as a precious resource, making the idea of something being 'short' (短) not only a physical description but also a cultural commentary on efficiency and value.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'short' pencil that has a small, stubby form, symbolizing the character 短. The radical '石' (stone) suggests something solid but small, and '短' sounds like 'duǎn,' which can remind you of 'dwindle' or 'diminish,' reinforcing the idea of something being less than expected.
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 短
Quick Contrast
短 (duǎn) vs 矮 (ǎi) — use 短 for length or duration, while 矮 specifically refers to height.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing '短' as it is pronounced with a falling tone (duǎn). It is commonly used in expressions like '时间短' (short time) or '短裤' (shorts), and avoid using it in overly formal contexts where '简短' (brief) may be more appropriate.
HSK Study Tips
As HSK Level 3 vocabulary, 短 connects to other words related to measurements and descriptions, such as 长 (long) and 高 (high). Focus on using it in comparative contexts and practice forming sentences that contrast it with its antonyms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 短 with 长 (long) and mistakenly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '这条裙子太长了' instead of '这条裙子太短了' when trying to indicate that the skirt is too short.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 短
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 短 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 矢 represents the meaning and 豆 represents the sound.
1The meaning half矢 carries the sense.
2The sound half豆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaydart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 短? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 短?
Decomposition of 短
IDS Structure⿰矢豆
短Full Character
=
矢shi3
left
豆dou4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 短?
How to say short in Chinese
“short” in Chinese is短duǎn
The character 短 (duǎn) means 'short' or 'brief' and can describe physical length, time duration, or even abstract concepts such as a brief conversation. It is often used to indicate a deficiency or weakness in something, such as a skill or quality.
When to use 短
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing '短' as it is pronounced with a falling tone (duǎn). It is commonly used in expressions like '时间短' (short time) or '短裤' (shorts), and avoid using it in overly formal contexts where '简短' (brief) may be more appropriate.
短 or something close to it
短 (duǎn) vs 矮 (ǎi) — use 短 for length or duration, while 矮 specifically refers to height.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 短 with 长 (long) and mistakenly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '这条裙子太长了' instead of '这条裙子太短了' when trying to indicate that the skirt is too short.
Write 短
短
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 短 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 短
短 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
When the days shorten in winter some people suffer depression.
11
这条裙子太短了，我不能穿。
Zhè tiáo qúnzi tài duǎn le, wǒ bù néng chuān.
This skirt is too short, I can't wear it.
12
他的头发剪得很短，看起来很精神。
Tā de tóufà jiǎn de hěn duǎn, kàn qǐlái hěn jīngshén.
His hair is cut very short, making him look energetic.
13
我的假期太短，只有三天。
Wǒ de jiàqī tài duǎn, zhǐ yǒu sān tiān.
My vacation is too short, only three days.
14
这段视频很短，但是很有趣。
Zhè duàn shìpín hěn duǎn, dànshì hěn yǒuqù.
This video is short, but very interesting.
15
这条裙子太短了，我不能穿。
Zhè tiáo qúnzi tài duǎn le, wǒ bù néng chuān.
This skirt is too short, I can't wear it.
16
他的头发剪得很短，看起来很精神。
Tā de tóufà jiǎn de hěn duǎn, kàn qǐlái hěn jīngshén.
His hair is cut very short, making him look energetic.
17
我的假期太短，只有三天。
Wǒ de jiàqī tài duǎn, zhǐ yǒu sān tiān.
My vacation is too short, only three days.
18
这段视频很短，但是很有趣。
Zhè duàn shìpín hěn duǎn, dànshì hěn yǒuqù.
This video is short, but very interesting.
Cultural Notes for 短
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'short' can also refer to brevity in communication. Being concise is valued, as it shows respect for others' time.
Word Family of 短
Words Containing This Character20
短duǎnshort
短期duǎnqīshort term
短暂duǎnzànbrief短暫
短裤duǎnkùshorts短褲
短线short term短線
缩短suōduǎnto curtail縮短
简短jiǎnduǎnbriefly簡短
短缺duǎnquēshortage
长话短说to make a long story short (idiom)長話短說
短路short circuit
短片duǎnpiànshort film
长短chángduǎnlength長短
短语phrase短語
三长两短unexpected misfortune三長兩短
短命to die young
短篇小说short story短篇小說
短讯SMS短訊
短程short range
短跑sprint (race)
短处duǎnchùdefect短處
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 短 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 短
Some common phrases with 短 include '短时间' (duǎn shíjiān), which means 'short time,' and '短缺' (duǎnquē), meaning 'to lack' or 'shortage.' These phrases can help you understand how to incorporate 短 into various contexts in conversation.
Yes, 短 is used in idioms such as '短期内' (duǎnqī nèi), which translates to 'in the short term.' Understanding idioms can enrich your language skills and comprehension of native speakers, as they often reflect cultural nuances.
短 (duǎn) means 'short' or 'brief' in Chinese. It can refer to physical length, duration of time, or even the brevity of a statement. Additionally, it can imply a weakness or fault in a certain context.
You can use 短 to describe something that is not long in length or duration. For example, you can say '这个裙子太短了' (zhège qúnzi tài duǎn le), which means 'This dress is too short.' It can also be used to describe a lack of something, like '他的回答很短' (tā de huídá hěn duǎn), meaning 'His answer was very brief.'
You can say '这条裙子太短了' (This skirt is too short).
Yes, 短 can be used in both contexts, but for formal writing, consider using synonyms like 简短.
Common collocations include 短时间 (short time) and 短信 (text message).
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 短?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
