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Chinese Weights & Measures

China follows the metric system for weights and measurements. Note conversion tables below.

Unit of Weights and Measures

Units of Length

Metric System	Abrr.	Traditional Chinese System	British System
Kilometre	km	Li	mile
Metre	m	Chi	Foot (ft) ; yard (yd)
Decimetre	dm	Cun	Inch;in
Centimetre	cm	Fen
Millimetre	mm	Li
Micrometre; micron	um
Nanometre	nm

Units of Weight

Metric System	Symbol	Traditional Chinese System	British-American System
Metric ton; tonne	t	Jin	Long ton,UK; Short ton, US
kilogramme	kg	Jin	pound
gram	g		grain
decigram	dg		Ounce;oz
centigram	cg
milligram	mg

Units of Area Measure

Metric System	Symbol	Traditional Chinese System	British-American System
Square kilometre	km²	li²	Sq mi;mi² hectare;ha acre
Square metre	m²	mu	sq ft;ft² sq yd;yd²
Square decimetre	dm²	chi²	sq ft;ft² sq yd;yd²
Square centimetre	cm²	chi²
Square milimetre	mm²
Hectare; are	ha	mu	acre

Units of Cubic Measure

Metric System	Symbol	Traditional Chinese System	British-American System
Cubic metre	m³	chi³	cubic foot; ft³ cubic yard; yd³
Cubic decimetre	dm³	chi³	ft³; yd³
Cubic centimetre	cm³
Cubic millimetre	mm³

Units of Capacity Measure

Metric System	Symbol	Traditional Chinese System	British-American System
Liter	L(l)	sheng	pint gallon, UK
Deciliter	DL(dl)	ge	pint gallon, UK
Centiliter	cL(cl)
Milliliter	mL(ml)

Units of Temprature

Metric System	Traditional Chinese System	Conversion	Conversion
Degree Fahrenheit (F)	Degree Celsius(C)	1F = 33.8C	1F = -17.2C

Conversion Tables of Weights and Measures

Conversion of Length

Metric System		Chinese System	British-American System
Metre	Centimetre	Chi	Yard	Feet	Inch
1	100	3	1.094	3.2808	39.37
0.01	1	0.03	0.01094	0.03281	0.3937
0.3333	33.33	1	0.3646	1.094	13.123
0.9144	91.44	2.743	1	3	36
0.3048	30.48	0.9144	0.3334	1	12
0.0254	2.54	0.0762	0.0278	0.833	1

Note: 1 meter = 100 centimetre = 1,000 millimetre

Conversion of Weight

Metric System	British System	American System
Tonne	Long ton	Short ton
1	0.9842	1.1023
1.016	1	1.12
0.9072	0.8929	1
0.05	0.04921	0.0551
0.0508	0.05	0.056
0.0605	0.0594	0.0667

Metric System	Traditional Chinese System	British-American System
Kilogram	Jin	Pound
1,000	2,000	2,204.6
1,016	2,032	2,242
907	1,814	2,000
50	100	110.23
50.8	101.6	112
60.48	120.96	133.33
1	2	2.2046
0.5	1	1.1023
0.4536	0.9072	1

Metric System		British-American System		British-American System (for gold or medicine)		Traditional Chinese System
Kilogram	Gram	Pound	Ounce	Troy Pound	Troy Ounce	Liang
1	1,000	2.2046	35.2739	2.679	32.1507	20
0.001	1	0.0022	0.03527	0.00268	0.0321	0.02
0.4536	453.59	1	16	1.2135	14.5833	9.072
0.02835	28.35	0.0625	1	0.07595	0.9114	0.567
0.3732	373.24	0.82286	13.1657	1	12	7.465
0.0311	31.10	0.06857	1.0971	0.08333	2	0.622
0.05	50	0.1102	1.76368	0.13396	1.6075	1

Conversion of Area Measure

Metric System		British-American System			Chinese System
Square metre	Square centimetre	Square yard	Square feet	Square inch	Square chi
1	10,000	1.1960	10.7639	1,550	9
0.0001	1	0.00012	0.00108	0.155	0.0009
0.8361	8,361	1	9	1,296	7.525
0.0929	929	0.1111	1	144	0.836
0.00065	6.45	0.00077	0.00694	1	0.0058
0.111	1,111	0.133	1.196	172.2	1

Conversion of Cubage

Metric System	Traditional Chinese System	British System	American System
Liter	Sheng	Gallon,UK	Gallon,US
1	1	0.22	0.264
4.546	4.546	1	1.201
3.785	3.785	0.833	1

Metric System		British-American System			Chinese System
Cubic meter	Cubic centimetre	Cubic yard	Cubic feet	Cubic inch	Cubic chi
1	1,000,000	1.303	35.3147	61,024	27
0.000001	1	0.0000013	0.00004	0.06102	0.000027
0.7636	764,555	1	27	46,656	20.643
0.02832	28,317	0.037	1	1,728	0.7646
0.000016	16.317	0.00002	0.00058	1	0.00044
0.037	37,037	0.0484	1.308	2,260	1

- Last updated on Jun. 17, 2024 -

Questions & Answers on Chinese Weights & Measures

Asked by jerry from USA | Jun. 14, 2024 06:15

how much wate is china 1.1 in usa

Answers (1)

Answered by Emily | Jun. 17, 2024 18:30

Sorry, what is the unit for 1.1?

Asked by Marilyn Frederick from UNITED STATES | Mar. 06, 2020 18:31

Hello-I bought a scale-and it is in chinese and says 66.60kg how do I know how much I weigh? Thanks

Answers (2)

Answered by Janice from CANADA | Mar. 10, 2020 18:40

66.6kg means 146 pounds

Answered by Jan from AUSTRALIA | Apr. 25, 2020 20:08

Hi Marilyn,

It's probably correct (International units of measure are used.)

Otherwise, it would simply be 2 to 1

There was 33.3 kilograms.

Asked by Lyndon from CANADA | Aug. 20, 2018 20:39

translating UI to cantonese or mandrin

I need a dosage in UI and i cant translate what measurement my chinese vial reads

Answers (1)

Answered by Mtcher from AUSTRALIA | Aug. 21, 2018 18:43

Hi, Lyndon. Do you have Chinese friends? If no, you can find a stranger who is Chinese around you to help you and I believe he or she may be glad to give you a hand. Or you can make use of some translator apps on your computer or mobile phones. Hope to be helpful.