合 (gě) · ge - a unit of dry grain measure equal to one-tenth…

Meanings

1 ge - a unit of dry grain measure equal to one-tenth of a sheng (升), roughly 100 ml
2 one-hundredth of a dou (斗)

Characters

合

gě

ge - a unit of dry grain measure equal to one-tenth of a…

Examples

HSK 7-9

十合为一升，十升为一斗。

Shí gě wéi yī shēng, shí shēng wéi yī dǒu.

Ten ge make one sheng, and ten sheng make one dou.

HSK 7-9

古时买米常以合计量。

Gǔshí mǎi mǐ cháng yǐ gě jìliàng.

In ancient times, rice was often measured by the ge.

Tips

register

Almost never seen in modern conversation. You will meet 合 only in classical texts, historical descriptions of grain trade, or recipes quoting old measures. The everyday reading 合 (close / fit / join) carries all the modern weight.

history

The traditional Chinese volume ladder runs 合 → 升 → 斗 → 石, each step ten times the last. One 合 was standardised at one-tenth of a 升 - about 100 ml under the modern market system.

Components

radical

口 kǒu

mouth; vessel rim

Bottom 口 - also the indexing radical. Here it pictures the rim of a vessel, not a literal mouth: the round opening that the lid above settles onto. The closing of cover + container gives 合 its meanings of fit, suit, agree, total. Same radical as 同 (same) and 名 (name), where 口 is structural rather than vocal.

semantic

亼 jí

to gather; inverted lid

Top three strokes - an inverted V with an inner stroke, picturing a lid or roof closing down. Read in isolation as 亼 'to gather, assemble.' Here it depicts the cover that settles squarely onto the rim below; the moment those two pieces meet gives the character its meanings of fit, match, join.