• 短気たんき — short temper
• 短所たんしょ — weak point, shortcoming
• 短期たんき — short term
• 短縮たんしゅく — shortening, reduction
• 短文たんぶん — short sentence
• 短時間たんじかん — short time
• 長短ちょうたん — length; merits and demerits

短 combines the radical 矢 (arrow) with 豆. It originally represented an arrow too short to reach its target — expressing the idea of "falling short" or being insufficient. This evolved into its modern meanings related to shortness or brevity.