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长短 (cháng duǎn) — length (physical or duration); accident, mishap; right and wrong, merits and demerits

Definition

A noun covering three distinct senses: 'length' (more physical/duration than the written 长度), 'mishap' (as in 出什么长短, like 意外), and 'merits and demerits' (like 得失). Use 出长短 for accidents, 争长短 for right-and-wrong disputes.

noun
length (physical or duration)accidentmishapright and wrongmerits and demerits

Examples

  • 长短。
    Zhè tiáo shéng zi de cháng duǎn zhèng hǎo hé shì.
    The length of this rope is just right.
  • ，长短。
    Kāi chē yí dìng yào xiǎo xīn, bú yào chū shén me cháng duǎn.
    Be careful when driving — don't have an accident.
  • 长短。
    Tā men liǎ zài zhēng lùn zhè jiàn shì de cháng duǎn.
    The two of them are arguing about the rights and wrongs of this matter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

长chánglong
短duǎnshort

Combines 长 and 短, opposite measures, to refer to length or to good and bad points.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
矢矢shǐ
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.

Open 短 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6

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