Understanding China’s Dual Weights and Measures System

Now, China uses the international metric system for the weights & measures, however, Chinese weights and measures system is still […]

Now, China uses the international metric system for the weights & measures, however, Chinese weights and measures system is still in use in people’s daily life.

Length

Metric System	Chinese System	British System
1 km	2 Li(里)	0.62 mi
0.5 km	1 Li(里)	0.31 mi
1.609 km	3.218 Li(里)	1 mi
1 m	3 Chi(尺)	3.281 ft
0.33 m	1 Chi(尺)	1.09 ft
0.305 m	0.9144 Chi(尺)	1 ft

Notice:

1 km = 1000 m, 1 m = 100 cm, 1 cm = 100 mm

1 Li(里) = 150 Zhang(丈), 1 Zhang(丈) = 10 Chi(尺), 1 Chi(尺) = 10 Cun(寸)

1 mi = 5280 ft, 1 ft = 12 in

Weight

Metric System	Chinese System	British System
1 kg	2 Jin(斤)	2.205 lb (pounds)
0.5 kg	1 Jin(斤)	1.1 lb
0.454 kg	0.907 Jin(斤)	1 lb (pound)
1 g	0.02 Liang(两)	0.35 oz
50 g	1 Liang(两)	1.76 oz
28.35 g	0.567 Liang(两)	1 oz

Notice:

1 kg = 1000 g, 1 g = 1000 mg

1 Jin(斤) = 10 Liang(两)

1 lt (long ton) = 2240 lb (pounds), 1 lb = 16 oz

Area

Metric System	Chinese System	British System
1 km2	15 Qing(顷)	0.386 sq.mi
0.067 km2	1 Qing(顷)	0.0257 sq.mi
2.59 km2	38.85 Qing(顷)	1 sq.mi
1 ha (hectare)	15 Mu(亩)	2.47 acre
0.067 ha	1 Mu(亩)	0.165 acre
0.405 ha	6.07 Mu(亩)	1 acre

Notice:

1 km2 = 100 ha = 10000 are

1 Qing(顷) = 100 Mu(亩)

1 sq.mi = 640 acre, 1 acre = 43560 sq.ft

Capacity

Metric System	Chinese System	British System
1 l (liter)	1 Sheng(升)	0.22 uk gal( gallon)
4.546 l	4.546 Sheng(升)	1 uk gal
1 l	1 Sheng(升)	0.264 us gal
3.785 l	3.785 Sheng(升)	1 us gal

Notice:

1 l = 10 dl = 1000 ml, 1 m3 = 1000 dm3, 1 m3 = 1000 l, 1 l = 1 dm3