How do we use the word 短~ in a sentence?


JLPT 2 has this word **短~** (たん)

[EDICT](http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi-
bin/wwwjdic.cgi?1MUE%E7%9F%AD#top) lists it as `fault; defect; weak point;` or
`minor (music)`, however there isn't any examples at all on the usage of the
word.

Does anyone have some example usages (applications) of the word ?




There are two set phrases that come to mind:

  * 短を補う (remedy one's defects -- the EDICT definition)
  * 短を捨て、長を取る (discard the bad, retain the good).

Using 短 in this way is extremely kanbun-y and, apart from set phrases like the
above, as Dave M G says it would be unlikely to occur in regular speech.

In the musical sense of "minor", 短 is used as a prefix, like this:

  * イ短調 = (key of) A minor
  * 変ロ短調 = (key of) B♭ minor
  * 嬰ハ短調 = (key of) C♯ minor
  * ニ短三和音 = D-minor triad (D, F, A)
  * 短六度 = Minor sixth (interval)

Note names and sharp/flat terminology are a whole different question
([hint](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroha)), but basically 短調 = "minor key",
短音階 = "minor scale", 短三和音 = "minor triad", etc. You can replace 短 with 長 to
get the major version of any of these.

Using 短 in the context of music to mean "minor" _is_ completely normal -- in
fact it is the _standard_ way to express the concept of "minor" found in
classical Western harmony.

I note that you cite the word as "短~"; could it be that JLPT 2 is referring to
the use of 短 as a prefix? (I ask because of the squiggly line after it which
often indicates "insert something here" in Japanese language learning texts.)
As Dave says, 短~ appears this way in 短所 "weak point, fault", 短気 "short-
tempered" etc. with the meaning "insufficient, faulty" but it also very
commonly carries the meaning of literal shortness: 短期 "short term", 短距離 "short
distance", 短銃 "pistol (= short gun)", etc. You wouldn't learn this searching
for 短 on its own, though, as AFAIK 短 as the standalone Sino-Japanese word たん
only has the figurative meaning of "fault" discussed above, and not the
literal meaning of "shortness".




There are two set phrases that come to mind:

  * 短を補う (remedy one's defects -- the EDICT definition)
  * 短を捨て、長を取る (discard the bad, retain the good).

Using 短 in this way is extremely kanbun-y and, apart from set phrases like the
above, as Dave M G says it would be unlikely to occur in regular speech.

In the musical sense of "minor", 短 is used as a prefix, like this:

  * イ短調 = (key of) A minor
  * 変ロ短調 = (key of) B♭ minor
  * 嬰ハ短調 = (key of) C♯ minor
  * ニ短三和音 = D-minor triad (D, F, A)
  * 短六度 = Minor sixth (interval)

Note names and sharp/flat terminology are a whole different question
([hint](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroha)), but basically 短調 = "minor key",
短音階 = "minor scale", 短三和音 = "minor triad", etc. You can replace 短 with 長 to
get the major version of any of these.

Using 短 in the context of music to mean "minor" _is_ completely normal -- in
fact it is the _standard_ way to express the concept of "minor" found in
classical Western harmony.

I note that you cite the word as "短~"; could it be that JLPT 2 is referring to
the use of 短 as a prefix? (I ask because of the squiggly line after it which
often indicates "insert something here" in Japanese language learning texts.)
As Dave says, 短~ appears this way in 短所 "weak point, fault", 短気 "short-
tempered" etc. with the meaning "insufficient, faulty" but it also very
commonly carries the meaning of literal shortness: 短期 "short term", 短距離 "short
distance", 短銃 "pistol (= short gun)", etc. You wouldn't learn this searching
for 短 on its own, though, as AFAIK 短 as the standalone Sino-Japanese word たん
only has the figurative meaning of "fault" discussed above, and not the
literal meaning of "shortness".

