See How Fast You Can Learn Chinese

Try our interactive spaced repetition demo—study your first words in 60 seconds

Interactive demo Takes 60 seconds No sign-up needed

Studying for the HSK? Don't like subscriptions? Try our one-time HSK Study Access package for $9.99 (PPP available).

Learn More

duǎn
HSK 2.0 Level 3 HSK 3.0 Level 2

Sign in to save this word to your study lists.

Definitions

  1. 1. short
  2. 2. brief
  3. 3. to lack
  4. 4. weak point
  5. 5. fault

Example Sentences

1 shown
我喜歡 詩。
Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 3148931)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org.

Words Containing 短

短暂
duǎn zàn

of short duration; brief; momentary

三长两短
sān cháng liǎng duǎn

unexpected misfortune

较长絜短
jiào cháng xié duǎn

to compare long and short

护短
hù duǎn

to defend sb (a relative, friend or oneself) despite knowing that that person is in the wrong

短趾雕
duǎn zhǐ diāo

(bird species of China) short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus)

家长家短
jiā cháng jiā duǎn

family goings-on

短跑
duǎn pǎo

sprint (race)

中华短翅莺
zhōng huá duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) Chinese bush warbler (Locustella tacsanowskia)

发短信
fā duǎn xìn

to text

垂直和短距起落飞机
chuí zhí hé duǎn jù qǐ luò fēi jī

vertical or short takeoff and landing aircraft

短歌
duǎn gē

ballad

中短债
zhōng duǎn zhài

short- or medium-term loan

弄短
nòng duǎn

to shorten

短指
duǎn zhǐ

brachydactylism (genetic abnormality of short or missing fingers)

栗耳短脚鹎
lì ěr duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis)

短嘴金丝燕
duǎn zuǐ jīn sī yàn

(bird species of China) Himalayan swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris)

短腿猎犬
duǎn tuǐ liè quǎn

dachshund

短吻鳄
duǎn wěn è

alligator

短欠
duǎn qiàn

to fall short in one's payments

蜚短流长
fēi duǎn liú cháng

to spread malicious gossip

短剑
duǎn jiàn

dagger

短线
duǎn xiàn

short term

瑙蒙短尾鹛
nǎo méng duǎn wěi méi

(bird species of China) Naung Mung scimitar babbler (Jabouilleia naungmungensis)

浅短
qiǎn duǎn

narrow and shallow (knowledge or skill)

短距离
duǎn jù lí

short distance

寻短见
xún duǎn jiàn

to commit suicide

短讯
duǎn xùn

SMS

短尾贼鸥
duǎn wěi zéi ōu

(bird species of China) parasitic jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus)

短视频
duǎn shì pín

short video; video clip

短传
duǎn chuán

short pass (in ball game)

短促
duǎn cù

short in time

短耳鸮
duǎn ěr xiāo

(bird species of China) short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)

短工
duǎn gōng

temporary job

短兵相接
duǎn bīng xiāng jiē

to fight at close quarters

东家长西家短
dōng jiā cháng xī jiā duǎn

to gossip (idiom)

揭短
jiē duǎn

to expose sb's faults or shortcomings

截长补短
jié cháng bǔ duǎn

take from the long to supplement the short (idiom)

锈腹短翅鸫
xiù fù duǎn chì dōng

(bird species of China) rusty-bellied shortwing (Brachypteryx hyperythra)

短处
duǎn chù

shortcoming

短命
duǎn mìng

to die young

蓝短翅鸫
lán duǎn chì dōng

(bird species of China) white-browed shortwing (Brachypteryx montana)

吃人家的嘴软,拿人家的手短
chī rén jiā de zuǐ ruǎn , ná rén jiā de shǒu duǎn

lit. the mouth that has been fed by others is soft, the hand that has received doesn't reach (idiom)

栗背短脚鹎
lì bèi duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) chestnut bulbul (Hemixos castanonotus)

短片
duǎn piàn

short film

短靴
duǎn xuē

ankle boots

短板
duǎn bǎn

short stave of the barrel (which allows the contents to escape)

齐B短裙
qí b duǎn qún

(slang) micro-miniskirt

超短裙
chāo duǎn qún

miniskirt

短仓
duǎn cāng

short position (finance)

短见
duǎn jiàn

short-sighted

缩短
suō duǎn

to curtail

短嘴豆雁
duǎn zuǐ dòu yàn

(bird species of China) tundra bean goose (Anser serrirostris)

能源短缺
néng yuán duǎn quē

energy shortage

尺有所短,寸有所长
chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn , cùn yǒu suǒ cháng

lit. for some things a foot may be too short, and for the other an inch will suffice (proverb)

扬长避短
yáng cháng bì duǎn

to foster strengths and avoid weaknesses (idiom)

黑短脚鹎
hēi duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) black bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus)

纸短情长
zhǐ duǎn qíng cháng

(idiom) a piece of paper is too short to convey my feelings

极短篇小说
jí duǎn piān xiǎo shuō

flash fiction

长话短说
cháng huà duǎn shuō

to make a long story short (idiom)

短尾信天翁
duǎn wěi xìn tiān wēng

(bird species of China) short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus)

白腹短翅鸲
bái fù duǎn chì qú

(bird species of China) white-bellied redstart (Luscinia phoenicuroides)

残年短景
cán nián duǎn jǐng

at the end of the year (idiom)

短期
duǎn qī

short term

短尾鹩鹛
duǎn wěi liáo méi

(bird species of China) rufous-throated wren-babbler (Spelaeornis caudatus)

短袖
duǎn xiù

short sleeves

栗背短翅鸫
lì bèi duǎn chì dōng

(bird species of China) Gould's shortwing (Heteroxenicus stellatus)

形容词短语
xíng róng cí duǎn yǔ

adjectival phrase

一长一短
yī cháng yī duǎn

talking endlessly; long-winded

缺斤短两
quē jīn duǎn liǎng

to give short weight

短时语音记忆
duǎn shí yǔ yīn jì yì

short-term phonological memory

争长论短
zhēng cháng lùn duǎn

lit. to argue who is right and wrong (idiom)

短衣帮
duǎn yī bāng

lit. short jacket party

张家长,李家短
zhāng jiā cháng , lǐ jiā duǎn

lit. the Zhangs are better off than the Lis (idiom); to gossip about the neighbors

巨嘴短翅莺
jù zuǐ duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) long-billed bush warbler (Locustella major)

人穷志短
rén qióng zhì duǎn

poor and with low expectations

短打扮
duǎn dǎ ban

shorts

短尾鹱
duǎn wěi hù

(bird species of China) short-tailed shearwater (Puffinus tenuirostris)

短时储存
duǎn shí chǔ cún

short-term storage

短缺
duǎn quē

shortage

暂短
zàn duǎn

brief (in time)

齐B小短裙
qí b xiǎo duǎn qún

(slang) micro-miniskirt

棕褐短翅莺
zōng hè duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) brown bush warbler (Locustella luteoventris)

短尾矮袋鼠
duǎn wěi ǎi dài shǔ

quokka (Setonix brachyurus)

人生短暂,学术无涯
rén shēng duǎn zàn , xué shù wú yá

Life is short, learning is limitless

昼短夜长
zhòu duǎn yè cháng

the winter days are short and the nights long (idiom)

取长补短
qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn

lit. use others' strengths to make up for one's weak points (idiom from Mencius)

短波
duǎn bō

shortwave (radio)

灰短脚鹎
huī duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) ashy bulbul (Hemixos flavala)

短训班
duǎn xùn bān

short training course

说长道短
shuō cháng dào duǎn

lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip

飞短流长
fēi duǎn liú cháng

to spread malicious gossip

短粗
duǎn cū

stocky (short and robust)

短时间
duǎn shí jiān

short term

长枪短炮
cháng qiāng duǎn pào

camera (jocular)

短尾鸦雀
duǎn wěi yā què

(bird species of China) short-tailed parrotbill (Neosuthora davidiana)

论长道短
lùn cháng dào duǎn

lit. to discuss sb's merits and demerits (idiom); to gossip

短期融资
duǎn qī róng zī

short-term financing

长痛不如短痛
cháng tòng bù rú duǎn tòng

better to just get the pain over with, rather than prolong the agony

长吁短叹
cháng xū duǎn tàn

long moan and short gasp (idiom); continually moaning and groaning in pain

简短
jiǎn duǎn

brief (statement, summary etc)

长短
cháng duǎn

length

短中取长
duǎn zhōng qǔ cháng

see 短中抽長|短中抽长[duǎn zhōng chōu cháng]

简短介绍
jiǎn duǎn jiè shào

brief introduction

短视
duǎn shì

(usually fig.) shortsighted

北短翅莺
běi duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) Baikal bush warbler (Locustella davidi)

灰眼短脚鹎
huī yǎn duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) grey-eyed bulbul (Iole propinqua)

短小精悍
duǎn xiǎo jīng hàn

(of a person) short but plucky (idiom)

短简
duǎn jiǎn

brief

短命鬼
duǎn mìng guǐ

sb who dies prematurely

五短身材
wǔ duǎn shēn cái

(of a person) short in stature

短尾鹦鹉
duǎn wěi yīng wǔ

(bird species of China) vernal hanging parrot (Loriculus vernalis)

斑胸短翅莺
bān xiōng duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) spotted bush warbler (Locustella thoracica)

大短趾百灵
dà duǎn zhǐ bǎi líng

(bird species of China) greater short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla)

目光短浅
mù guāng duǎn qiǎn

to be shortsighted

短衣
duǎn yī

short garment

绿翅短脚鹎
lǜ chì duǎn jiǎo bēi

(bird species of China) mountain bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii)

短距起落飞机
duǎn jù qǐ luò fēi jī

short takeoff and landing aircraft

短信
duǎn xìn

text message

短程
duǎn chéng

short range

短裤
duǎn kù

short pants

高山短翅莺
gāo shān duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) russet bush warbler (Locustella mandelli)

短尾鹪鹛
duǎn wěi jiāo méi

(bird species of China) streaked wren-babbler (Napothera brevicaudata)

短视近利
duǎn shì jìn lì

to be focused on short-term gain

短嘴山椒鸟
duǎn zuǐ shān jiāo niǎo

(bird species of China) short-billed minivet (Pericrocotus brevirostris)

亚洲短趾百灵
yà zhōu duǎn zhǐ bǎi líng

(bird species of China) Asian short-toed lark (Alaudala cheleensis)

短浅
duǎn qiǎn

narrow and shallow

短少
duǎn shǎo

to be short of the full amount

较短絜长
jiào duǎn xié cháng

to compare long and short

蓝腰短尾鹦鹉
lán yāo duǎn wěi yīng wǔ

(bird species of China) blue-rumped parrot (Psittinus cyanurus)

台湾短翅莺
tái wān duǎn chì yīng

(bird species of China) Taiwan bush warbler (Locustella alishanensis)

短多
duǎn duō

good prospects in the short term (finance)

短债
duǎn zhài

short-term loan

短语
duǎn yǔ

phrase (grammar)

短至
duǎn zhì

the winter solstice

短中抽长
duǎn zhōng chōu cháng

to make the best of a bad job

短袜
duǎn wà

sock

短程线
duǎn chéng xiàn

a geodesic

短路
duǎn lù

short circuit

短篇小说
duǎn piān xiǎo shuō

short story

短斤缺两
duǎn jīn quē liǎng

to give short weight

短句
duǎn jù

clause

性短讯
xìng duǎn xùn

sext

白喉短翅鸫
bái hóu duǎn chì dōng
超短波
chāo duǎn bō

ultra short wave (radio)

眼光短
yǎn guāng duǎn

short-sighted

细嘴短趾百灵
xì zuǐ duǎn zhǐ bǎi líng

(bird species of China) Hume's short-toed lark (Calandrella acutirostris)

短空
duǎn kōng

poor prospects in the short term (finance)

短波长
duǎn bō cháng

short wavelength