Shi chi (市尺). In China, a unit of length, after 1930 = 1/3 meter. Although often translated as “foot”, it is in concept the distance between the outstretched thumb and forefinger, that is, it belongs to the span class of body units.
Chi is the pinyin romanization. The older Wade romanization is ch'ih. Also romanized as tch'e.
Gōngchĭ (公 尺) is a meter; yīngchĭ (英 尺) is an English foot.
| Period | Size of chi, centimeters |
|---|---|
| Shang | 16 |
| Zhanguo | 23.1 |
| Qin, Han | 23.1 |
| Tang | 30.3 |
| Song | 31.6 |
| Yuan | |
| Ming | 32 |
| Qing | 32 |
| Republic | 33 1/3 |
Qiu Guangming.
Zhongguo lidai duliangheng kao.
Kexue, 1992.
In Cambodia, 20th century, a unit of mass, approximately 3.75 grams.
United Nations, 1966.
치/촌 In Korea, 20th century, a unit of length, = 3 1/33 centimeters. 
A square chi is
approximately 9.1827 square centimeters.
United Nations, 1966.
In Mongolia 
,
20th century, a unit of length, approximately 32 centimeters.
United Nations, 1966.
| home | | | units index | | | search | | | your comments  | | | about | | | help | | |
Copyright © 2000 Sizes, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last revised: 27 February 2007.