Japanese symbol for “shortness”
寸
すん
Romaji: sun
sun (approx. 3 cm)
In Japanese, shortness is 寸, read すん (sun).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n sun (approx. 3 cm)
- n length; measurement
- n shortness; tininess
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “shortness”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 短さ | みじかさ mijikasa | brevity; shortness |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寸前 | すんぜん sunzen | just before; on the verge of; on the brink of |
| 寸法 | すんぽう sunpou | measurement; size; extent |
| 寸断 | すんだん sundan | cutting to pieces; tearing to pieces |
| 一寸 | いっすん issun | one sun (approx. 3 cm) |
| 寸劇 | すんげき sungeki | short play; skit |
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.