短
duǎn · HSK 2
short
📏 矢 (arrow) + 豆 (bean) — arrows used to be measured against beans, the smallest unit
The left side 矢 means arrow; the right side 豆 is a bean or small vessel. Ancient Chinese measured short lengths by comparing arrows to beans, so 短 came to mean short or brief.
短 — arrow 矢 + bean/vessel 豆
Originally a phono-semantic compound: 矢 (arrow) gives the meaning, since arrows were used as a short measuring stick, while 豆 (an ancient stemmed vessel) supplied the sound. From 'short in length' the meaning broadened to 'short' in time, stature, or quality.