short, brevity, fault, defect, weak point
短 centers on the idea of being short in length, duration, or quality: something brief, insufficient, or falling short of a standard, which naturally extends to faults and weak points.
短 combines 矢 (arrow) with 豆 (a type of vessel), likely using the arrow as a measuring tool to express shortness or brevity. The exact historical motivation is uncertain, but the component combination is well established.
An arrow 矢 beside a bean-shaped vessel 豆: imagine measuring the vessel with an arrow and finding it too short, revealing a defect.
For タン, picture a short tan-colored arrow measuring a tiny vessel: tan -> タン, and the arrow comes up short.
short
short-term
shortening; contraction; reduction; curtailment; abbreviation
short term; short time
short story; short film; short poem
short time
shortest
tanka; 31-mora Japanese poem
defect; demerit; weak point; disadvantage
junior college; vocationally oriented post-secondary institution offering two or three-year programs
short temper; quick temper; hot temper; impatience; irritability
short circuit; short
short distance; short range; short-haul
minor key
shortish; rather short; somewhat short
junior college; vocationally oriented post-secondary institution offering two or three-year programs
short wave
short sword; knife; dagger; dirk; tantō
tanzaku; poem slip; poetry slip; long, narrow strip of paper on which Japanese poems are written (vertically)
short life; short lived
(relative) length
pistol