The Meaning of tansho [短所] In Japanese

短所
たんしょ
Romaji: tansho N4

What does 短所 mean?

Translation and Meaning

shortcoming, flaw, defect, weakness, drawback

Definition

What does 短所 mean? It denotes a flaw or weakness in someone or something, a point where performance or quality is lacking, often used to describe negative aspects in evaluations or constructive feedback.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Primary meaning: shortcoming, flaw, defect, weakness, drawback
  • Nuance: describes negative aspects without being as harsh as more severe terms; can apply to people, plans, products, or systems
  • Common usages: 短所がある, 短所を挙げる, 短所として〜; often appears in evaluation contexts

Etymology

tan (tansho) are the on’yomi readings of 短 and 所; borrowed from Chinese 短所, this Sino-Japanese compound merged to mean a ‘shortcoming’ in Japanese.

Origin

Origin in Japanese: a Sino-Japanese compound formed from the kanji 短 and 所; used since the early modern period to denote a negative aspect or weakness of a thing, person, or plan.

Composition

  • 短: short, concise
  • 所: place, point, item
  • Concept: together they denote a shortcoming or flaw— a point that is lacking or failing

Usage

Used as a neutral to mildly critical noun in formal writings and everyday speech; collocates with verbs such as 短所がある and 短所を挙げる; common in performance reviews, feedback, and discussions of flaws or limitations
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: tan-sho sounds like ‘tanshow’—imagine a short show that reveals the flaws in a performance; visualize 短 as a shortened line and 所 as a spot where the line ends

Variations

  • 欠点 — defect; ketten
  • 弱点 — weakness; jakuten
  • 長所との対比で使われることが多い

Example Phrases

  • 友達の前で自分の短所を素直に話せて良かった。
    Tomodachi no mae de jibun no tansho o sunao ni hanasete yokatta.
    I was glad I could honestly talk about my flaws in front of my friends.
    Lista:
    • 友達の前で (tomodachi no mae de) – in front of friends
    • 自分の短所を (jibun no tansho o) – my shortcoming
    • 素直に (sunao ni) – honestly
    • 話せて (hanasete) – could talk
    • 良かった (yokatta) – was glad
    「短所」 means ‘shortcoming’; here it is the direct object of 話す (短所を話す), i.e., ‘talk about my flaws’.
短所