量 (liáng) · to measure (length, weight, temperature, etc.)

Meanings

1 to measure (length, weight, temperature, etc.)
2 to take measurements of
3 to weigh up; to consider

Characters

量

liáng

to measure (length, weight, temperature, etc.)

Examples

HSK 4

量一下体温。

Liáng yíxià tǐwēn.

Take your temperature.

HSK 7-9

裁缝给我量了肩宽。

Cáifeng gěi wǒ liáng le jiānkuān.

The tailor measured my shoulders.

HSK 7-9

决定之前，先衡量一下利弊。

Juédìng zhīqián, xiān héngliáng yíxià lìbì.

Before deciding, weigh up the pros and cons.

Tips

usage

Read 量 (rising tone) whenever the meaning is the physical or mental act of measuring. Concrete: 量体温 (take a temperature), 量身高 (measure height), 测量 (survey), 量杯 (measuring cup). Abstract: 衡量 (weigh up), 考量 (consider), 估量 (estimate).

mistakes

Easy trap: 量房 (measure a room before renovation) and 酒量 (alcohol tolerance) take different readings - verb 量 = liáng, noun 量 = liàng. Rough test: can you replace 量 with 'measure' as a verb? If yes, liáng. If you're talking about an amount or capacity? liàng.

Components

radical

里 lǐ

village; inside; mile

Bottom indexing radical 里 (Kangxi #166) - historically depicted a field plus earth, then 'lined-out village.' In 量 the lower 里 is a graphic residue of the body of the measuring vessel below its mouth. The pairing gives the picture of a calibrated container - exactly 'quantity / amount.' Same radical anchors 重 (heavy / weight), tightly related to measuring.

semantic

旦 dàn

dawn; sun above horizon

Top 5 strokes - graphically 旦 (sun above the horizon), but historically the top of an ancient measuring vessel: a 日-shaped opening with a horizontal lid. The whole 量 originally depicted a graduated container used to measure grain, with the 日 representing the open mouth from above. Read this slot as the vessel's mouth, not literally 'dawn.'