尺

chǐ

noun HSK 4 #3,448

Meanings

A pictograph of a ruler or measuring stick — one of the oldest measurement terms in Chinese.

Nǐ yǒu chǐ ma?

Do you have a ruler?

Zhè kuài bù yǒu sān chǐ cháng.

This piece of fabric is three chi long.

culture

一尺 (one chi) is about 33.3 cm (1/3 of a meter). It is still used in traditional Chinese tailoring and architecture.

usage

As a measuring tool, 尺 = ruler (same as 尺子). As a unit, 尺 = Chinese foot. The idiom 尺有所短，寸有所长 means everyone has strengths and weaknesses.

尺 chǐ