The Chinese word **短片** (duǎnpiàn) is a compound noun formed by combining two characters: **短** (duǎn), meaning "short" in length or duration, and **片** (piàn), a versatile character meaning "a slice," "a piece," or, in this context, "film" or "movie." It follows a common modifier-noun structure in Chinese, where the first character describes the attribute of the second. Therefore, 短片 literally translates to "short film" or "short video," directly indicating a motion picture of brief duration, analogous to the English term's formation.