短片

• Pinyin: duǎn piàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 短 = 矢 (arrow) + 豆 (bean) — short like an arrow compared to a spear; 片 = half of 木 (wood) — a slice

Meaning

Short film; short video. A film or video production that is shorter than feature length, typically under 40 minutes.

Used for both artistic short films shown at festivals and casual short videos on social media platforms like Douyin (TikTok) or Kuaishou. In film contexts, 短片 typically refers to works with artistic merit; for casual user-generated content, 短视频 is more common. Related: 纪录短片 (short documentary), 动画短片 (animated short).

Examples

1. 这部获奖短片只有十五分钟，但故事讲得特别感人。 This award-winning short film is only fifteen minutes long, but the story is really moving.
2. 他自学视频剪辑，拍的短片在网上点击量挺高的。 He taught himself video editing, and the short films he makes get pretty high view counts online.
3. 电影学院的学生毕业前都要完成一部短片作品。 Film academy students all have to complete a short film project before graduation.

Usage Guide

Context: film, media, creative

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这个导演的短片拿了好几个国际奖项。(This director's short films have won several international awards.)
• 我周末拍了个短片，你帮我看看怎么样。(I shot a short film over the weekend; could you take a look?)

Don't Say

• 把电视剧的一集叫短片 (Don't call a TV episode a 短片 — use 一集 or 单集; 短片 implies a standalone short work)

Origin & History

Modern compound: 短 (short) + 片 (film, slice). 片 is short for 影片 (film/movie).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal