Chinese Measureism is a measurement system ideology that advocates for the use of the Chinese Measurement system should be used in daily life. It is somewhat of a combination of the Metric and Imperial system. It views the Chinese Measuring system of measurement. In this system, the basic unit is the chi (尺)
Measurements
Chinese units of measurement, known in Chinese as the shìzhì ("market system"), are the traditional units of measurement of the Han Chinese. Traditional units of length include the chi (尺), bu (步), and li (里). The precise length of these units, and the ratios between these units, has varied over time. 1 bu has consisted of either 5 or 6 chi, while 1 li has consisted of 300 or 360 bu. However as time progresses the measurement in meter becomes a greater number.
| Unit | Length in meters |
|---|---|
| Chi | Aprox. 0.2-0.3 |
| Bu | Aprox. 1-1.5 |
| Li | Aprox. 300-600 |
In Modern China, the measuring units somewhat resemble metric systems, however the are referred to by imperial names.
Note: The measurements are based on "權度法 [Quándù Fǎ]", 政府公報 [Zhèngfǔ Gōngbào, Government Gazette] & "The Weights and Measures Act (1929)". Legislative Yuan.
Length
| Character | Pinyin | Relative Value | Metric Value | Imperial Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 毫 | háo | 1⁄10000 | 331⁄3 µm | 0.00131 in |
| 釐/厘 | lí | 1⁄1000 | 1⁄3 mm | 0.0131 in |
| 分 | fēn | 1⁄100 | 31⁄3 mm | 0.1312 in |
| 寸 | cùn | 1⁄10 | 31⁄3 cm | 1.312 in |
| 尺 | chǐ | 1 | 331⁄3 cm | 13.12 in |
| 步 | bù | 5 | 1.6 m | 5.2 ft |
| 丈 | zhàng | 10 | 31⁄3 m | 3.645 yd |
| 引 | yǐn | 100 | 331⁄3 m | 36.45 yd |
| 里 | lǐ | 1800 | 500 m | 546.8 yd |
Metric units
The Chinese word for meter is 米 mǐ; this can take the Chinese standard SI prefixes (for "kilo-", "centi-", etc.). A kilometer, however, may also be called 公里 gōnglǐ, i.e. a metric lǐ. In the engineering field, traditional units are rounded up to metric units. For example, the Chinese word 絲 (T) or 丝 (S) sī is used to express 0.01 mm.
| Charater | Pinyin | Metric conversion |
|---|---|---|
| 忽 | hū | Micrometer |
| 絲/ 丝 | sī | 10 µm |
| 毫 | háo | 100 µm |
| 釐 (T) or 厘 (S) | lí | Milimeter |
| 分 | fēn | 10 mm |
| 寸 | cùn | Centimeter |
| 尺 | chǐ | Meter |
| 里 | lǐ | Kilometer |
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