短い|みじかいmijikai[3]nakadaka (mid-high)

JLPT N5approx.Common
Definitions
  1. i-adjectiveshort
    日ひがだんだん短みじかくなっている。↗
    The days are becoming shorter.
    あの犬いぬはしっぽが短みじかい。↗
    That dog has a short tail.
  2. i-adjectivebrief
    彼かれは私に短みじかい手紙てがみをくれた。↗
    He sent me a brief note.
Conjugation
Plain form短い(みじかい)
Polite (desu)短いです(みじかいです)
Negative (kunai)短くない(みじかくない)
polite (ku arimasen)短くありません(みじかくありません)
Past (katta)短かった(みじかかった)
Past negative (kunakatta)短くなかった(みじかくなかった)
Te form (kute)短くて(みじかくて)
Adverbial (ku)短く(みじかく)
Conditional (kereba)短ければ(みじかければ)
kattara短かったら(みじかかったら)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym短小たんしょうWrittenWritten/formal prose word for things that are both short and small; often seen in 「軽薄短小」. It also has a vulgar use, so it is no casual stand-in for 「短い」.
  • RelatedちんちくりんCasualColloquial slang for a short person or for clothes that are too short; carries a comical, belittling tone, which neutral 「短い」 lacks.
  • Antonym長いながいNeutralThe direct antonym of 「短い」: describes great length in distance or a long span of time. Neutral in register.

Use 「短い」 by default for something short in length or time. For things both short and small, the written word 「短小」 fits; for a short person or clothes that are too short, the colloquial 「ちんちくりん」 adds a comical, belittling tone. The opposite is 「長い」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. ものの両端りょうたんの距離きょりが近ちかい様さま。
  2. 時間じかんが少すこししかかからない様よう。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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