Short loan
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
A library book in high demand that you can only borrow for a few hours or days, sometimes without taking it out of the building. Late returns bring fines fast, so watch the time.
Chinese explanation
图书馆的高需求书籍，只能借几小时或几天，有的不能带出馆。逾期罚款涨得很快，注意时间。
Example conversation
A: The core textbook is always out!
B: There's a short loan copy — you get it for four hours at a time.
A：核心教材总是被借走！
B：有短期借阅本——一次可以借四个小时。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake