English–Japanese

“shortest” in Japanese

Japanese

Pronunciation

Romajisaitan

Example

最短の道で駅に行きます。sai tan no michi de eki ni i ki ma su

I will go to the station by the shortest route.

Illustration for 最短 (shortest)

How to say “shortest” in Japanese

“Shortest” in Japanese is 最短 (saitan).

Marks the option whose length, distance, or duration is the smallest among those being compared.

Full entry for 最短: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 最短

会議を最短で終わらせます。kai gi o sai tan de o wa ra se ma su

I will finish the meeting in the shortest possible time.

Tips for using 最短

  • In everyday Japanese, 最短距離 (saitan kyori) refers to the least distance, while 最短時間 (saitan jikan) refers to the least time, so the noun does not specify what is being minimized.

“shortest” in other languages