Chinese word

简短

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiǎn duǎn

Meaning

  • adjectiveshort

Example

请把介绍说得简短一点。qǐng bǎ jiè shào shuō de jián duǎn yì diǎn

Please make the introduction a little shorter.

Illustration for 简短 (short)

More examples

邮件内容尽量简短，便于对方阅读。yóu jiàn nèi róng jǐn liàng jián duǎn biàn yú duì fāng yuè dú

Keep the email content as concise as possible so it is easy for the other person to read.

Core concept

A form kept brief by limiting both its wording and its extent.

Common phrases

  • 简短的介绍jián duǎn de jiè shào

    concise introduction

  • 简短的发言jián duǎn de fā yán

    concise statement

  • 简短的回答jián duǎn de huí dá

    concise answer

  • 保持简短bǎo chí jián duǎn

    keep it concise

Similar words

短duǎn: Small in length, distance, or physical size from end to end.
短暂duǎn zàn: Continuing for only a very brief period.
简洁jiǎn jié: Clear and concise because extra words and details are removed.
简要jiǎn yào: Summarizing something briefly by stating its essential points.

Definition in Chinese

简洁且长度或持续时间短，常用来形容讲话、文字或事情本身不长。jiǎn jié qiě cháng dù huò chí xù shí jiān duǎn cháng yòng lái xíng róng jiǎng huà wén zì huò shì qíng běn shēn bù cháng

Word origin

简 (jiǎn, "concise") + 短 (duǎn, "short") combine the ideas of reduced wording and limited length or duration.

Usage tips

  • When a shorter reply is requested, adding 一点 (yìdiǎn, "a little") makes the request sound less abrupt than using the bare adjective alone.

Other meanings

  • conciseadjective
  • abbreviatedadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • 简短化jián duǎn huàmake conciseverb

Word lists with this word