When we talk about「短さ」 (nagasasa), we're discussing the characteristic of something being short. This noun is formed from the adjective 「短い」 (mijikai), meaning 'short', by adding the suffix 「さ」 (-sa), which turns adjectives into nouns expressing a quality or state. It's a very common pattern in Japanese, similar to how 'short' becomes 'shortness' in English.
You can use 「短さ」 to refer to the shortness of physical objects, like the 「服の短さ」 (fuku no nagasa - shortness of the clothes), or abstract concepts, such as 「時間の短さ」 (jikan no nagasa - shortness of time). It emphasizes the degree to which something is brief or not long. Mastering this noun-forming suffix will greatly expand your ability to express abstract qualities in Japanese.
短さ en 30 secondes
- noun
- shortness
- duration
§ Understanding 短さ in different contexts
When you're learning Japanese, it's really useful to know how words change meaning or nuance depending on the situation. 短さ (tansasa) is a great example of this. While it generally means 'shortness,' you'll encounter it in various settings, from casual conversations to more formal discussions. Let's break down where and how you might hear 短さ, making sure you can use it confidently in your everyday Japanese.
We'll look at how this word pops up in work environments, school settings, and even in the news. This will help you get a practical feel for its usage, far beyond just a dictionary definition.
§ At Work: Describing duration and reports
In a professional setting, 短さ often refers to the duration of something – like a meeting, a project, or even a presentation. It can also describe the length of documents or reports. It's often used when discussing efficiency or when there's a need to be concise.
- Definition
- The quality of something being brief or concise, often related to time or textual length.
Imagine you're in a meeting and someone suggests making future presentations shorter. They might use 短さ to express this idea.
会議の短さは効率につながる。
Hint: The shortness of the meeting leads to efficiency.
You might also hear it when a manager asks for a brief report.
報告書の短さが評価された。
Hint: The shortness of the report was evaluated positively.
§ At School: Academic brevity
In academic settings, 短さ can refer to the length of essays, presentations, or even a school break. It often comes up in discussions about assignments or curriculum structure.
- Definition
- The state of being short in an academic context, referring to assignments, speeches, or time periods.
For example, a teacher might comment on the brevity of a student's answer.
彼の回答の短さに驚いた。
Hint: I was surprised by the shortness of his answer.
Or students might complain about a short vacation.
夏休みの短さにがっかりした。
Hint: I was disappointed by the shortness of the summer vacation.
§ In the News: Economic and social brevity
When you read or watch the news in Japanese, 短さ can appear in various contexts, often related to economic trends, social phenomena, or even the brevity of someone's term in office. It can also describe the length of a news report itself.
- Definition
- The quality of being short in a public or societal context, such as economic periods, political terms, or news segment length.
You might see it in headlines discussing an economic downturn's duration.
景気後退の短さが期待される。
Hint: The shortness of the recession is expected.
Or in a report about a political leader's tenure.
前首相の任期の短さが話題になった。
Hint: The shortness of the former prime minister's term became a topic of discussion.
§ Key Takeaways for 短さ
- 短さ is versatile, appearing in formal and informal contexts.
- Pay attention to the surrounding words to understand the nuance (e.g., positive 'efficiency' vs. negative 'disappointment').
- Practice using it in different sentences to solidify your understanding.
By understanding these practical applications, you'll be much better equipped to recognize and use 短さ naturally in your Japanese conversations and readings. Keep practicing, and you'll master this word in no time!
Exemples par niveau
道の短さに驚いた。
I was surprised by the shortness of the road.
文章の短さが読みやすい。
The shortness of the writing makes it easy to read.
彼の話の短さは良かった。
The shortness of his story was good.
夏の短さが寂しい。
The shortness of summer makes me sad.
髪の毛の短さが好きです。
I like the shortness of my hair.
スカートの短さが気になる。
I'm concerned about the shortness of the skirt.
時間の短さを感じる。
I feel the shortness of time.
ペンは短さが便利だ。
The pen's shortness is convenient.
Souvent confondu avec
This is the direct opposite of 短さ (nagasasa), meaning 'length'. While not 'confused' in meaning, it's essential to understand them as a pair of contrasting concepts. If you're talking about 'length', use 長さ; if 'shortness', use 短さ.
This word means 'shortening' or 'abbreviation', often referring to the act of making something shorter. 短さ is the state of being short, while 短縮 is the action of reducing something's length or duration.
While covered in the main list, it's worth reiterating as a common point of confusion. 短さ is about inherent dimension/duration. 不足 is about 'not enough' or a 'shortage' often in a quantitative or qualitative sense.
Expressions idiomatiques
"短所を補う (たんしょをおぎなう)"
To compensate for one's shortcomings
彼は自分の短所を補うために、毎日努力している。 (He makes an effort every day to compensate for his shortcomings.)
neutral"短気は損気 (たんきはそんき)"
Losing your temper will only hurt you; Haste makes waste (lit. short temper is disadvantageous temper)
短気は損気だよ。落ち着いて考えよう。 (Losing your temper will only hurt you. Let's think calmly.)
neutral"短絡的思考 (たんらくてきしこう)"
Hasty and superficial thinking; jumping to conclusions
彼は短絡的思考になりがちだ。 (He tends to think in a hasty and superficial way.)
neutral"短期間で (たんきかんで)"
In a short period of time
彼は短期間で日本語が上達した。 (He improved his Japanese in a short period of time.)
neutral"短編小説 (たんぺんしょうせつ)"
Short story
この短編小説はとても感動的だった。 (This short story was very moving.)
neutral"短命に終わる (たんめいにおわる)"
To have a short life; to be short-lived
その流行は短命に終わった。 (That trend was short-lived.)
neutral"短気を起こす (たんきをおこす)"
To lose one's temper
彼はすぐに短気を起こす。 (He gets angry easily.)
neutral"短尺 (たんじゃく)"
Short length (e.g., film, video)
この動画は短尺なので、すぐに見終わる。 (This video is short, so you'll finish watching it quickly.)
neutral"短くする (みじかくする)"
To shorten; to make something shorter
髪を短くしたいです。 (I want to shorten my hair.)
neutral"短く言うと (みじかくいうと)"
To put it briefly; in short
短く言うと、彼はそのプロジェクトに反対した。 (To put it briefly, he opposed the project.)
neutralFacile à confondre
Often confused with 短さ (nagasasa) due to their similar appearance and meaning. However, 短い is an i-adjective, describing something as 'short'.
短い directly describes a noun (e.g., 短い髪 - short hair), while 短さ is a noun itself, referring to the abstract quality of 'shortness'.
彼女は短い髪をしている。(Kanojo wa mijikai kami o shiteiru.) - She has short hair.
Both relate to 'shortness' in terms of time. However, 短時間 refers to a 'short period of time' or 'short duration' as a specific noun phrase.
短時間 is used to specify a short duration (e.g., 短時間で終わる - finish in a short time), whereas 短さ is a general concept of shortness that can apply to anything.
この仕事は短時間で終わります。(Kono shigoto wa tanjikan de owarimasu.) - This job will finish in a short time.
Can be confused when discussing a 'shortage' or 'lack' of something. While both imply something is not enough, their applications differ.
不足 specifically means a 'shortage' or 'deficiency' (e.g., 食料不足 - food shortage), often implying a negative lack. 短さ simply describes the quality of being short without necessarily implying a negative connotation or lack.
水の不足が深刻です。(Mizu no fusoku ga shinkoku desu.) - The water shortage is serious.
This phrase explicitly means 'a short period'. It's similar to 短時間 but uses a more direct adjective-noun construction.
短い期間 is a descriptive phrase meaning 'a short period'. 短さ is a single noun, the abstract concept of 'shortness'. Think of 短い期間 as 'a period that is short', and 短さ as 'the state of being short'.
彼は短い期間だけ滞在しました。(Kare wa mijikai kikan dake taizai shimashita.) - He stayed for only a short period.
This is often confused with 短さ because it's its direct opposite in terms of measurement attributes – 'height' versus 'shortness'. Both are nouns indicating a dimension.
高さ refers to 'height' (e.g., ビルの高さ - the height of the building), while 短さ refers to 'shortness' or 'length'. They are antonyms.
その山の高さはどれくらいですか？(Sono yama no takasa wa dore kurai desu ka?) - What is the height of that mountain?
Comment l'utiliser
短さ (みじかさ) refers to the state or quality of something being short in length, duration, or height. It's often used when discussing the extent of shortness. For example, 時間の短さ (the shortness of time) or スカートの短さ (the shortness of a skirt). It's a noun formed by adding さ (sa) to the i-adjective 短い (mijikai, short).
A common mistake is confusing 短さ with 短い (mijikai). 短い is an i-adjective meaning 'short,' while 短さ is a noun meaning 'shortness.' You wouldn't say 短さです (it is shortness) to describe a short object; you would say 短いです (it is short). Use 短さ when you are referring to the abstract concept or degree of being short.
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsThat's a great question! So, 「短い」 (mijikai) is an i-adjective, and it means 'short' when describing something directly. For example, 「短いペン」 (mijikai pen) means 'a short pen'.
On the other hand, 「短さ」 (mijikai-sa) is a noun. It refers to the 'quality of being short' or 'shortness' itself. Think of it like this: if you're talking about the 'shortness of the skirt,' you'd use 「スカートの短さ」 (sukaato no mijikai-sa). It's about the attribute, not the object directly.
Yes, absolutely! That's a very common way to use it. For instance, if you want to talk about 'the shortness of the meeting,' you'd say 「会議の短さ」 (kaigi no mijikai-sa). It works perfectly for describing durations or periods of time that are brief.
Good thought, but for 'shortness of breath,' you wouldn't typically use 「短さ」. Instead, you'd usually say 「息切れ」 (ikigire). This is a specific medical term for 'shortness of breath' or 'being out of breath.' While 「短さ」 means 'shortness' in a general sense, it doesn't fit in that particular idiom.
That's an interesting point. 「短さ」 itself is pretty neutral. Its connotation depends entirely on what you're describing. For example, 'the shortness of the speech' (スピーチの短さ - supiichi no mijikai-sa) might be seen as positive if people were tired. But 'the shortness of the vacation' (休暇の短さ - kyuuka no mijikai-sa) is probably negative. So, it's all about context!
Yes, there are! You might encounter other nouns formed by adding 「さ」 (-sa) to an i-adjective to express a quality or state. For example, from 「長い」 (nagai - long) you get 「長さ」 (nagasa - length). From 「高い」 (takai - high/expensive) you get 「高さ」 (takasa - height). So, 「短さ」 is part of a very common pattern in Japanese!
Technically, yes, you could refer to the 'shortness' of a person's height using 「短さ」, but it's not the most natural or common way. For a person's height, you'd usually use 「背の低さ」 (se no hikusa), which literally means 'lowness of height'. While 「短さ」 isn't incorrect, 「背の低さ」 sounds much more natural for people.
Okay, let's make a simple one. If you want to say 'The shortness of the journey was a pity,' you could say:
「旅行の短さが残念だった。」 (Ryokou no mijikai-sa ga zannen datta.)
(Travel's shortness was regrettable.)
Notice how 「短さ」 functions as a noun, often with the particle 「の」 (no) before it to connect it to what it's describing.
「短さ」 is quite neutral in terms of formality. You can use it in both formal and informal contexts without any issues. It's a standard noun that describes a quality, so it fits in a wide range of situations.
The kanji for 「短さ」 is simply 「短」 (tan or miji-). When you see 「短」 by itself, it means 'short'. The 「さ」 (sa) is hiragana and is the suffix that turns adjectives into nouns denoting a quality. So, 「短さ」 literally means 'short-ness'.
No, you cannot. A 'short circuit' in Japanese is 「ショート」 (shōto), which is a loanword from English, or sometimes 「短絡」 (tanraku). 「短さ」 refers to the abstract quality of being short, not the electrical malfunction. So, keep them separate!
Teste-toi 60 questions
The word '短い' means short.
Listen for the word that describes the length of the story.
The speaker is talking about a skirt.
Read this aloud:
これは短い鉛筆です。
Focus: mi-ji-ka-i
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Read this aloud:
その道は短いです。
Focus: mi-chi-wa
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Read this aloud:
彼女の髪は短いです。
Focus: ka-mi-wa
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このスカートは少し___。
The sentence means 'This skirt is a little ___.' '短い' means short, which fits the context.
夏の日は___。
The sentence means 'Summer days are ___.' '長い' means long, which is a common characteristic of summer days.
私の髪は___ですが、妹の髪は長いです。
The sentence means 'My hair is ___ but my sister's hair is long.' '短い' means short, creating a contrast with 'long'.
この道の___はどれくらいですか？
The sentence means 'What is the ___ of this road?' '長さ' means length, which is appropriate for a road.
物語は___終わりました。
The sentence means 'The story ended ___.' '短く' means shortly, implying the story was brief.
彼のスピーチはいつも___。
The sentence means 'His speech is always ___.' '短い' means short, which can be a positive quality for a speech.
Imagine you are talking about a short trip you took last weekend. Write a short sentence about the brevity of your trip using '短さ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
週末の旅行は短かかったですが、楽しかったです。
You are describing a short story you read. Write a sentence saying that you liked its '短さ'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
この物語の短さが好きです。
You want to say that the 'shortness' of a speech was good. Write a sentence expressing this.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
スピーチの短さが良かったです。
Bさんは本の何について話していますか？ (What is B talking about regarding the book?)
Read this passage:
A: この本は読みやすいですか？ B: はい、短さもあって、すぐに読めますよ。
Bさんは本の何について話していますか？ (What is B talking about regarding the book?)
B explicitly mentions '短さ' (shortness) as a reason it's easy to read.
B explicitly mentions '短さ' (shortness) as a reason it's easy to read.
今日の会議の特徴は何でしたか？ (What was characteristic about today's meeting?)
Read this passage:
朝の会議はいつも長いです。しかし、今日の会議は短さが特徴でした。みんな喜んでいました。
今日の会議の特徴は何でしたか？ (What was characteristic about today's meeting?)
The passage states that '今日の会議は短さが特徴でした' (Today's meeting was characterized by its shortness).
The passage states that '今日の会議は短さが特徴でした' (Today's meeting was characterized by its shortness).
道が早く着く理由は何ですか？ (What is the reason for arriving quickly?)
Read this passage:
この道は短さのおかげで、早く着きます。でも、少し狭いです。
道が早く着く理由は何ですか？ (What is the reason for arriving quickly?)
The passage says '短さのおかげで、早く着きます' (Thanks to its shortness, you arrive quickly).
The passage says '短さのおかげで、早く着きます' (Thanks to its shortness, you arrive quickly).
This sentence means 'The brevity of spring is famous.' '春' (haru) means spring, 'の' (no) is a possessive particle, '短さ' (mijika-sa) means shortness/brevity, 'は' (wa) is a topic particle, and '有名です' (yūmei desu) means is famous.
This sentence means 'I like the shortness of this movie.' 'この' (kono) means this, '映画' (eiga) means movie, 'の' (no) is a possessive particle, '短さ' (mijika-sa) means shortness, 'が' (ga) is a subject particle, and '好きです' (suki desu) means like.
This sentence means 'The shortness of the trip was a pity.' '旅行' (ryokō) means trip, 'の' (no) is a possessive particle, '短さ' (mijika-sa) means shortness, 'は' (wa) is a topic particle, '残念だった' (zannen datta) means was regrettable/a pity, and 'です' (desu) is a polite ending.
This sentence means 'The shortness of this essay is its charm.' The correct order starts with 'この' (this), followed by 'エッセイの' (of the essay), then '短さが' (shortness is/P.P.), and finally '魅力です。' (is charming).
This sentence means 'I was surprised by the shortness of his speech.' Start with '彼の' (his), then 'スピーチの' (of the speech), '短さに' (by the shortness), and '驚いた。' (was surprised).
This sentence means 'I feel the shortness of the summer vacation.' The order is '夏休みの' (of the summer vacation), '短さを' (shortness P.P.), and '感じる。' (feel).
この映画の___が、物語に深みを与えています。(This movie's ___ adds depth to the story.)
文脈から、映画が物語に深みを与えるのは「短さ」が自然です。長さ、広さ、高さは不適切です。(From the context, 'shortness' naturally adds depth to the story. Length, width, and height are inappropriate.)
彼のスピーチは、その___ゆえに聴衆に強い印象を残した。(His speech, due to its ___, left a strong impression on the audience.)
短いスピーチは記憶に残りやすく、聴衆に強い印象を与えることがあります。速さや遅さは印象の残り方とは直接関係ありません。(A short speech is easy to remember and can leave a strong impression on the audience. Speed or slowness is not directly related to how well an impression is retained.)
この小説の___は、読者に想像の余地を与えている。(The ___ of this novel gives readers room for imagination.)
短い小説は、多くを語らず読者の想像力を掻き立てることがあります。厚さ、重さ、深さは文脈に合いません。(A short novel can leave many things unsaid, stimulating the reader's imagination. Thickness, weight, and depth do not fit the context.)
プロジェクトの___は、成功の鍵となる。(The ___ of the project is key to its success.)
プロジェクトの「短さ」、つまり期間の短さは効率性や集中力を高め、成功につながることがあります。広さ、長さ、高さは文脈に合いません。(The 'shortness' of a project, meaning a short duration, can increase efficiency and focus, leading to success. Breadth, length, and height do not fit the context.)
彼のコメントの___が、かえって核心を突いていた。(The ___ of his comment, on the contrary, hit the nail on the head.)
短いコメントほど、簡潔に核心を突くことができます。長さ、速さ、広さは文脈に合いません。(The shorter the comment, the more concisely it can get to the core. Length, speed, and breadth do not fit the context.)
この曲の___は、リスナーに強い印象を与えた。(The ___ of this song left a strong impression on listeners.)
曲の「短さ」は、その特徴やメッセージを際立たせ、リスナーに強い印象を与えることがあります。長さ、広さ、高さは文脈に合いません。(The 'shortness' of a song can highlight its characteristics and message, leaving a strong impression on listeners. Length, breadth, and height do not fit the context.)
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 彼のスピーチの___が聴衆を惹きつけた。
The sentence implies that the brevity of the speech was engaging. Therefore, 短さ (shortness/brevity) is the most suitable choice.
Which of the following phrases uses 「短さ」 correctly?
This sentence correctly uses 「短さ」 (shortness) to express that the limited amount of time prevented him from finishing the work. The other options use 'shortness' in a way that doesn't fit the context naturally.
Select the sentence that best conveys the meaning of 'the shortness of the deadline' using 「短さ」.
「締切の短さ」 (shorness of the deadline) is the most appropriate phrase to express that a limited amount of time until the deadline caused pressure.
The sentence「夜の短さが夏の始まりを感じさせる。」(The shortness of the night makes me feel the beginning of summer.) uses 「短さ」 correctly.
In summer, the nights are shorter, so this statement accurately uses 「短さ」 to describe that characteristic.
「会議の短さに彼は満足した。」means 'He was satisfied with the length of the meeting.'
「会議の短さ」 means 'the shortness of the meeting', so the sentence means 'He was satisfied with the shortness of the meeting.'
It is grammatically correct to say「このセーターの短さは私には合わない。」(The shortness of this sweater doesn't suit me.)
This is a grammatically correct sentence. 「短さ」 (shortness) can be used to describe the length of clothing.
この映画の___は、物語に緊張感を与えています。
文脈から、映画の時間が短いことが物語に緊張感を与えている、と解釈するのが適切です。
彼の演説の___は、聴衆の心に強く響いた。
短い演説が聴衆に強く響いた、という文脈なので「短さ」が適切です。
この小説の___が、かえって読者の想像力を掻き立てる。
小説のページ数の少なさが、読者の想像力を刺激する、という文脈なので「短さ」が適切です。
現代社会における忍耐力の___は、多くの問題を引き起こしている。
現代社会で忍耐力が不足している、という文脈なので「短さ」が適切です。
彼のキャリアの___は、その後の彼の人生に大きな影響を与えた。
キャリアが短かったことがその後の人生に影響を与えた、という文脈なので「短さ」が適切です。
この議論の___は、議題の複雑さによって生じている。
議題が複雑であるため、議論の時間が短くなってしまう、という文脈なので「短さ」が適切です。
This sentence means 'I keenly felt the shortness of life.' The particles 'の' and 'を' connect '人生' (life) and '短さ' (shortness) to '痛感した' (keenly felt).
This means 'The shortness of the skirt bothered me.' 'スカートの短さ' acts as the subject of '気になった' (bothered me).
This translates to 'The brevity of his explanation made understanding difficult.' '彼の説明の短さ' is the subject, and '理解を困難にした' is the predicate.
Despite the brevity of the presentation, the content was very substantial.
The shortness of the summer days feels a little lonely.
Considering the brevity of life, I want to cherish each day.
Read this aloud:
この文章の短さが、かえって読者の心に響くかもしれません。
Focus: 短さ (mijika-sa)
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Read this aloud:
彼のスピーチの短さは、聴衆に強い印象を与えた。
Focus: 与えた (atae-ta)
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Read this aloud:
その服の短さが、彼女の個性を際立たせていた。
Focus: 際立たせていた (kiwadatase-te ita)
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/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
短さ (mijika-sa) is a noun used to express the quality of something being short.
- noun
- shortness
- duration
Contenu associé
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
Plus de mots sur general
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
