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Dan (mass)

Traditional Chinese unit for weight From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dan (simplified Chinese: 担; traditional Chinese: 擔; pinyin: dàn),[a] or Daam in Cantonese, Tan in Japanese and Taiwanese, also called "Chinese hundredweight" or "picul",[b] is a traditional Chinese unit for weight measurement in East Asia. It originated in China before being introduced to neighboring countries. Nowaday, the mass of 1 dan equals 100 jin or 50 kg in mainland China,[4] 60 kg in Taiwan and Japan,[5][6] and 60.478982 kg in Hong Kong,[7] Singapore and Malaysia.[8][9] Dan is mostly used in the traditional markets.[4] [6]

China Mainland

On June 25, 1959, the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued the Order on the Unified Measurement System, with minor amendment to the market system. "[10]

More information Pinyin, Character ...
Table of mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959[4]
Pinyin Character[11] Relative value Metric value Imperial value Notes
lí 市厘 1⁄10000 50 mg 0.001764 oz cash
fēn 市分 1⁄1000 500 mg 0.01764 oz candareen
qián 市錢 1⁄100 5 g 0.1764 oz mace or Chinese dram
liǎng 市兩 1⁄10 50 g 1.764 oz tael or Chinese ounce
jīn 市斤 1 500 g 1.102 lb catty or Chinese pound
formerly 16 liang = 1 jin
dàn 市擔 100 50 kg 110.2 lb picul or Chinese hundredweight
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Legally, 1 dan equals 100 jins, 50 kg, or 110.2 lb.[4][12]

Taiwan

The so-called Taiwan dan is actually the dan used throughout China during the Qing Dynasty. 1 Taiwan dan is 60 kg, equal to 100 Taiwan jin.[13]

More information Unit, Relative value ...
Table of units of mass in Taiwan
UnitRelative value MetricUS & ImperialNotes
Taiwanese HokkienHakkaMandarinCharacter LegalDecimalExactApprox.
LîLîLí釐1⁄1000  ⁠3/80,000⁠ kg37.5 mg ⁠3750/45,359,237⁠ lb0.5787 gr Cash; Same as Japanese Rin
HunFûnFēn分1⁄100  ⁠3/8000⁠ kg375 mg ⁠37,500/45,359,237⁠ lb5.787 gr Candareen; Same as Japanese Fun
ChîⁿChhiènQián錢1⁄10  ⁠3/800⁠ kg3.75 g ⁠375,000/45,359,237⁠ lb2.116 dr Mace; Same as Japanese Momme (匁)
NiúLiôngLiǎng兩1  ⁠3/80⁠ kg37.5 g ⁠3,750,000/45,359,237⁠ lb21.16 dr Tael
Kin/KunKînJīn斤16  ⁠3/5⁠ kg600 g ⁠60,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb1.323 lb Catty; Same as Japanese Kin
TàⁿTâmDàn擔1600  60 kg ⁠6,000,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb132.3 lb Picul; Same as Japanese Tan
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Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong law stipulates that one dan is equal to one hundred jin , which is 60.478982 kg.[7]

More information Jyutping, Character ...
Table of Chinese mass units in Hong Kong[7] and Macau[14]
Jyutping Character English Portuguese Relative value Relation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau) Metric value Imperial value Notes
lei4 厘 li, cash liz 1⁄16000 1⁄10 condorim 37.79931 mg 0.02133 dr
fan1 分 fen, candareen (fan) condorim 1⁄1600 1⁄10 maz 377.9936375 mg 0.2133 dr
cin4 錢 qian, mace (tsin) maz 1⁄160 1⁄10 tael 3.779936375 g 2.1333 dr
loeng2 兩 liang, leung, tael tael 1⁄16 1⁄16 cate 37.79936375 g 1.3333 oz 604.78982/16=37.79936375
gan1 斤 jin, kan, catty cate 1 1⁄100 pico 604.78982 g 1.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.
daam3 擔 dan, tam, picul pico 100 None 60.478982 kg 133.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.
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Singapore and Malaysia have similar regulations as Hong Kong, as they are all former British colonies.[8]

Japan

In Japan, 1 dan, or tan in Japanese pronunciation, is equal to 60 kg.[15]

More information Unit, Kan ...
Table of units of mass[16]
Unit Kan[17] Metric US & Imperial
Romanised Kanji Legal Decimal Exact Approx.
Mō 毛 or 毫 1⁄1,000,000 ⁠3/800,000⁠ kg 3.75 mg ⁠375/45,359,237⁠ lb 8.267 μlb
Rin 厘 1⁄100,000 ⁠3/80,000⁠ kg 37.5 mg ⁠3750/45,359,237⁠ lb 0.5787 gr
Fun 分 1⁄10,000 ⁠3/8000⁠ kg 375 mg ⁠37,500/45,359,237⁠ lb 5.787 gr
Momme
Monme		 匁 1⁄1000 ⁠3/800⁠ kg 3.75 g ⁠375,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 2.116 dr
Hyakume 百目 1⁄10 ⁠3/8⁠ kg 375 g ⁠37,500,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 13.23 oz
Kin 斤 4⁄25 ⁠3/5⁠ kg 600 g ⁠60,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 1.323 lb
Kan(me)[c] 貫(目) 1 ⁠15/4⁠ kg 3.75 kg ⁠375,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 8.267 lb
Maru 丸 8 30 kg ⁠3,000,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 66.14 lb
Tan 担 or 擔 16 60 kg ⁠6,000,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 132.3 lb
Notes:
  • Exact figures follow the 1891 Law of Weights & Measures and 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
  • Metric values are exact. US & imperial approximations are rounded to four significant figures.
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Formerly, the Chinese measure word 擔/担 was also written as 石 (pronounced "shi" or "dan")[1][2]
  2. [b]
    "Picul" is an English translation of Chinese word "擔" (dàn) according to its sounds in Malay "pikul", before Pinyin and Jyutping were available.[3]
  3. [c]
    The kan is also sometimes known in English as the kwan.[18]

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