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bu [Chinese, Japanese]

1

步 bù In China, a unit of length, conceptually equal to a pace (two steps).

Changes in value of the bu over time
Period	Number of chi in a bu	Length of chi, cm	Length of bu, cm
Before the Qin	8	16	128
Qin after 350 bce–Tang	6	23.1–30.3	138.6–181.8
Song–Qing	5–6	31.6–32	158–192
Qing	5	32	160
Republic	5	33.33	166.7

2

分 In Japan, 20ᵗʰ century, a unit of length, = 1/100 shaku = 1/10 sun = 3¹⁄₃₃ millimeters (approximately 0.11939 inches). Sometimes romanized as boo. For cloth, 3.787 mm (see shaku).

United Nations, 1966.

3

歩 Synonym, tsubo (坪). In Japan, 20ᵗʰ century, a unit of area, = 36 square shaku = 10 gō = 2 jō, approximately 3.3058 square meters (approximately 3.954 square yards).

United Nations, 1966.

4

分 In Japan, a unit of shoe size = 1/10 mon, about 2.4 millimeters.