短 meaning and stroke order
Short; brief; to lack
How to write 短, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 短
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- short
- brief
- to lack
- weak point
- fault
How 短 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dart.
矢 gives the meaning and 豆 hints at the sound.
Radical: 矢 (arrow), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 短
短 is built from 矢 (shǐ, arrow or dart) on the left, which gives the meaning, and 豆 (dòu) on the right, which hints at the sound. Picture a short dart next to a small bean: both are little things, so 短 means short.
短 (duǎn) describes short length or short time, and it is the opposite of 长 (cháng). It also appears in words for weaknesses, like 短处 (duǎnchù). Example: 这条裤子太短了。(Zhè tiáo kùzi tài duǎn le.) These pants are too short.
Common mistake: Learners often say 短 for short people, but height uses 矮 (ǎi). Say 他很矮 (tā hěn ǎi) for he is short, and keep 短 for things like hair, pants, or time. Also keep the third tone: duǎn, not duàn like 断 (duàn, to break).
Common words with 短
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 短信 | duǎnxìn | text message; SMS | HSK 2 |
| 短裤 | duǎnkù | short pants; shorts | HSK 3 |
| 短期 | duǎnqī | short-term | HSK 3 |
| 短处 | duǎnchù | shortcoming; defect | HSK 3 |
| 缩短 | suōduǎn | to shorten; to reduce; to curtail | HSK 4 |
| 短片 | duǎnpiàn | short film; video clip | HSK 6 |
| 长短 | chángduǎn | length; accident; mishap | HSK 6 |
| 短暂 | duǎnzàn | of short duration; brief; momentary | HSK 7-9 |
| 简短 | jiǎnduǎn | brief (statement, summary etc); briefly | HSK 7-9 |
| 短缺 | duǎnquē | shortage | HSK 7-9 |
| 一长一短 | yī cháng yī duǎn | (idiom) talking endlessly; long-winded | HSK 7-9 |
| 发短信 | fāduǎnxìn | to send a text message | |
| 长话短说 | chánghuàduǎnshuō | (idiom) to make a long story short; to keep it brief | |
| 短时间 | duǎnshíjiān | short term; short time |
短 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 短
How many strokes are in 短?
短 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 短 mean?
短 (duǎn) means short; brief; to lack. A common word with it is 短信 (duǎnxìn), meaning "text message; SMS".
How do you pronounce 短?
短 is pronounced duǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 短?
The radical of 短 is 矢, which carries the idea of "arrow". Dictionaries list 短 under this radical.
Is 短 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 短 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What does 长短 mean besides length?
长短 (chángduǎn) can mean length, as in 长短合适 (the length is just right). It can also mean an accident or mishap, often in the phrase 有个三长两短 (if something bad happens).
How do you say text message in Chinese?
The common word is 短信 (duǎnxìn), literally a short letter. For example, 我给你发短信。(Wǒ gěi nǐ fā duǎnxìn.) I will send you a text.