量 (liáng): to measure (length, weight, tem…

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

量一下体温。

Liáng yíxià tǐwēn.

Take your temperature.

裁缝给我量了肩宽。

Cáifeng gěi wǒ liáng le jiānkuān.

The tailor measured my shoulders.

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.'