短針

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 短針 is a noun read たんしん, meaning the shorter hand of a clock that indicates the hour.
• Basic usage: Mark the numeral indicated with を, as in 八を指す, and use 短針を一周させる when manually moving the hand around the dial.
  • 時計の短針は八を指していた。 says that the hour hand was pointing at eight; 短針を一周させて時刻を合わせた。 describes moving the hour hand through one full turn to set the time.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 八を指す
  • を marks the numeral or point indicated by the hand.
• 短針を一周させる
  • させる expresses causing the hour hand to make a full turn through manual adjustment.
• 短針 and 長針
  • 短針 is the short hand indicating hours, while 長針 is the long hand indicating minutes.