When would you use 低い【ひくい】 vs 短い【みじかい】


Are 低い and 短い interchangable or do they have specific uses?




低い _hikui_ is "short in height" or "low", 短い _mijikai_ is "short in length".

  * 私は背が低い - I'm short (in stature)
  * 天井の低い部屋 - a room with low ceiling
  * 短いスカート - a short skirt
  * 髪を短く切る - cutting one's hair short

_(Examples from プログレッシブ英和・和英中辞典)_

A short piece of string cannot be 低い and calling a low bridge 短い would mean
the wrong thing.




低い _hikui_ is "short in height" or "low", 短い _mijikai_ is "short in length".

  * 私は背が低い - I'm short (in stature)
  * 天井の低い部屋 - a room with low ceiling
  * 短いスカート - a short skirt
  * 髪を短く切る - cutting one's hair short

_(Examples from プログレッシブ英和・和英中辞典)_

A short piece of string cannot be 低い and calling a low bridge 短い would mean
the wrong thing.

