How do you say "short" in Japanese?

短い

Mijikai

Adjective Kanji

In Japanese, "short" is 短い (Mijikai).

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Pronunciation

短い is written using kanji. Romanised as Mijikai, it sounds roughly like "mee-jee-kah-ee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Mijikai (短い) is an i-adjective for length or duration. For describing a person as short in height, use se ga hikui (whose back is low) rather than mijikai.

Example sentence

この鉛筆はとても短いです。

Kono enpitsu wa totemo mijikai desu.

This pencil is very short.

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How to remember 短い

The kanji 短 uses a radical suggesting brevity or shortness. It is shorter than the kanji for long, which mirrors the meaning.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese adjectives.

Questions about 短い

How do you pronounce 短い?

短い is romanised as Mijikai. Say it roughly like "mee-jee-kah-ee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 短い formal or casual?

短い is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 短い written in Japanese?

短い is written using kanji. Mijikai (短い) is an i-adjective for length or duration.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"Short" in other languages

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