短视 (duǎn shì) — to be shortsighted; to lack foresight

Definition

短视 (duǎnshì) means lacking long-term vision, focused only on immediate gain — often used as a modifier (短视的决策) to criticize shortsighted choices.

verb

to be shortsightedto lack foresight

短视，。
Tā tài duǎn shì le, zhī kàn yǎn qián de lì yì.
He is too shortsighted, only looking at immediate benefits.
短视。
duǎn shì De tóu zī cè lüè huì dǎo zhì gōng sī kuī sǔn.
Shortsighted investment strategies can cause the company to lose money.
短视。
Zhèng fǔ bù néng cǎi qǔ duǎn shì de zhèng cè.
The government cannot adopt shortsighted policies.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

短 means short and 视 means sight, giving the sense of short-sightedness or lack of foresight.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

矢豆短

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

豆

豆dòu短duǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 視; 视 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

見見jiànsee

Sound part声符shēngfú

示

Same sound today

The story is about the traditional form 視: it combines 見, meaning see, with 示, which gives the sound shì.