# Phrase\_prefix query returns empty result if I search for 3 characters but returns non-empty result if I search for 4 and more characters

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/phrase-prefix-query-returns-empty-result-if-i-search-for-3-characters-but-returns-non-empty-result-if-i-search-for-4-and-more-characters/35940
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [November 30, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/phrase-prefix-query-returns-empty-result-if-i-search-for-3-characters-but-returns-non-empty-result-if-i-search-for-4-and-more-characters/35940 "2015-11-30T19:09:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Slava\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Slava\_G](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Slava_G)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/phrase-prefix-query-returns-empty-result-if-i-search-for-3-characters-but-returns-non-empty-result-if-i-search-for-4-and-more-characters/35940/1 "2015-11-30T19:09:42Z")

</div>

Hi,  
I have this query :

```
"match": {
  "_all": {
    "query": "ana",
    "type": "phrase_prefix"
  }
}

```

This query does not return anything with phrase "ana" that is 3 characters length, but if I search for 4 characters phrase "anat" it returns result :

```
match": {
  "_all": {
  "query": "anat",
  "type": "phrase_prefix"
  }
}

```

What could be the problem here ? I have no idea why is that and how to solve this.

Thanks !!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [July 5, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/phrase-prefix-query-returns-empty-result-if-i-search-for-3-characters-but-returns-non-empty-result-if-i-search-for-4-and-more-characters/35940/2 "2017-07-05T23:33:11Z")

</div>