短 duǎn
“short; brief; to lack”
adjectiveHSK 3 · 2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
短 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 605: 短 duǎn — Level 3; official annotation 3 (形). PDF page 95
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 短
短 means “short” in length or duration, and it is a common adjective for things, times, and written pieces. It usually comes before a noun (短文, 短时间) or after 很 in a predicate (很短).
例句Example sentences
- 这条路很短。zhè tiáo lù hěn duǎn.This road is very short.
- 冬天白天很短。dōng tiān bái tiān hěn duǎn.In winter the days are short.
- 我们只有很短的时间。wǒ men zhǐ yǒu hěn duǎn de shí jiān.We only have a very short time.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我短。
✓我矮。
For a person's height, use 矮, not 短; 短 is for length or duration.