짧은
jjalbeun
The Korean word for short is 짧은 (jjalbeun).
짧은 is used to describe something that is brief, abrupt, pointed or petulant.
Meaning: abrupt, brief, pointed, petulant (adj)
Which one should you use?
While 짧은 is the standard way to describe length or duration, the word 작은 (which primarily means small) can also be used to describe something as short in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 짧은 is the adjectival form used to modify a noun. The dictionary form of this adjective is 짧다, and the adverbial form, meaning 'shortly' or 'briefly', is 짧게.
How do you pronounce it?
jjalbeun
Did you know?
- The phrase 말이 짧다 literally means 'speech is short', but it is used as a social critique to describe someone who is being impolite by using informal language with a superior.
- Korean has a distinct word for 'short' when referring to height, 키가 작다, which literally means 'the height is small'. Using 짧은 to describe a person's height would sound like you are describing their limbs rather than their stature.
- If you are describing a 'short' distance, you might use 가까운 (near) instead of 짧은, because in Korean, distance is more often perceived as 'closeness' than as a length of a line.
Examples in context
- 그 영화는 짧은 시간에도 많은 감정을 전달합니다.The movie conveys many emotions even in a short time.
- 짧은 대답은 기분이 나빠요.jjalbeun daedabeun gibuni nappa-yo.Brief answers make me feel bad.
- 짧은 편지 한 통을 썼어요.jjalbeun pyeonji han tong-eul sseosseoyo.I wrote a brief letter.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Subin are discussing a recent phone call.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 전화 통화가 어땠어요?Subin-ssi, jeonhwa tonghwaga eottaesseoyo?Subin, how was the phone call?
- 수빈 Su-bin그 사람이 너무 짧은 대답만 했어요.geu sarami neomu jjalbeun daedapman haesseoyo.That person only gave very brief answers.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말 무례한 사람이네요.jeongmal muryehan saram-ineyo.That person is really rude.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요, 말투도 좀 짧았어요.majayo, maltudo jom jjalbaesseoyo.You're right, his tone was also quite abrupt.
