The Chinese word 短期 is formed through a straightforward compound structure, combining two individual characters with clear meanings: 短 (duǎn), meaning "short" in terms of length or duration, and 期 (qī), meaning a "period", "term", or "designated time". When joined, they create a noun phrase where the first character modifies the second, directly translating to "short period" and semantically meaning "short-term". This modifier + head pattern is a common and productive method in Chinese word formation for creating precise temporal concepts, such as 长期 (long-term) or 中期 (mid-term).