短促 (duǎn cù) — very short (in time); fleeting; brief

Definition

adjective

very short (in time)fleetingbrief

短促。
Rén shēng shì duǎn cù de.
Life is fleeting.
短促。
Chūn tiān de shí guāng fēi cháng duǎn cù.
The days of spring are very brief.
短促。
Tā hé tā de xiāng yù hěn duǎn cù.
Their meeting was very brief.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

促cùhurried

短 and 促 both point to a brief, hurried span, together giving very short duration.

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.

亻足促

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

足

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

促 pairs 亻 (person, written 人 when complete) with 足, which helps show its sound.

Appears in