短い鉛筆

From 短い (mijikai, “short”) + 鉛筆 (enpitsu, “pencil”). The word 短い (mijikai) can be traced back to the Old Japanese verb 短し (mijikashi), which appeared in texts like the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE). The noun 鉛筆 (enpitsu) is a more recent compound, formed from 鉛 (en, “lead”) and 筆 (fude, later pitsu, “writing brush, pen”). While the concept of a writing implement with a lead core existed earlier, the term 鉛筆 gained prominence in the modern era, particularly with the introduction of Western-style pencils to Japan. Therefore, 短い鉛筆 (mijikai enpitsu) is a descriptive compound combining a native adjective with a Sino-Japanese noun that reflects the historical evolution of writing tools and language in Japan.