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chupak

In Brunei, Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, at least as early as the 18ᵗʰ century – 20ᵗʰ century, a unit of capacity, = 1 imperial quart (approximately 1.1365 liters or 1.2 U.S. liquid quarts). Also called a chupah. Conceptually it is the capacity of half a coconut shell.

United Nations, 1966.

Technical Conversion Factors..., 1972, page 117.

sources

1

chūpah and chūpak a measure containing about a quart; the fourth part of a kūlah or bambu, as also of the gantang, being then equal to about 1½ lb. of rice. Bāwang tīga chūpah three measures of (small) onions.

William Marsden.
A Dictionary of the Malayan Language.
London: Printed for the author by Coxe and Baylis, 1812.
Page 120.

2

Chupak. A dry measure, equal to about a quart.

James Crawfurd.
A Grammar and Dictionary of the Malay Language. Vol. 2, page 39.
London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 1852.

3

chupak, a measure of capacity; a quarter of a gantang, or, approximately, the capacity of a half-coconut-shell; sěpěrti chupak hanyut, like a floating chupak-measure—a half-coconut-shell (which rocks greatly when it floats)—a simile for loose swagger; chupak is used also of the bowl of a mortar or opium pipe.

R. J. Wilkinson.
An Abridged Malay-English Dictionary (Romanized).
Kuala Lumpur: Printed at the F[ederated] M[alaysian] S[tates] Government Press, 1908.
Page 272.

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Last revised: 31 January 2011.