noun / adjective HSK 4
duǎn
short-term · short period

Meaning

短期 refers to a brief span of time, typically used to describe temporary situations, short-duration projects, or plans that cover weeks to months rather than years. It contrasts with 长期 (long-term) and is commonly used in business, education, and planning contexts.

Usage

Native speakers frequently use 短期 as an attributive adjective before nouns (短期计划, 短期目标) or as a standalone time reference. It appears in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing employment, courses, investments, or goals. Often paired with time-related measure words.

Examples

  1. 01
    我在北京参加了一个短期汉语课程。
    zài Běijīng cānjiā le duǎn Hànyǔ kèchéng.
    I attended a short-term Chinese language course in Beijing.
  2. 02
    短期内我们无法解决这个问题。
    Duǎn nèi wǒmen jiějué zhège wèntí.
    We cannot solve this problem in the short term.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 短期
    duǎn nèi
    in the short term, within a short period
  • 短期目标
    duǎn biāo
    short-term goal
  • 短期计划
    duǎn huà
    short-term plan
  • 短期培训
    duǎn péi xùn
    short-term training

Antonyms

Origin

Compound of 短 (short) and 期 (period/term), creating a transparent meaning of 'short period.' The word follows standard Chinese word-formation patterns for time-related expressions.

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