Wikipedia

Jin (mass)

Jin (Chinese: 斤; pinyin: jīn), or gan in Cantonese, also called "Chinese pound" or "catty"[a], is a traditional Chinese unit for weight measurement in East Asia. It originated in China mainland before being introduced to neighboring countries. Nowaday, the mass of 1 jin ranges between 500 to 610 grams in different places: 500 grams in mainland China,[2] 600 grams in Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Thailand, [3] [4] 604.78982 grams in Hong Kong,[5] and 604.8 grams in Singapore and Malaysia.[6] [7] The Jin system is mostly used in the traditional markets, and famous for measuring gold, silver and Chinese medicines. [2] [4]

Jin
A traditional Chinese scale
Chinese市制
Literal meaningmarket system
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinshìzhì
Wade–Gilesshih-chih
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese市用制
Literal meaningmarket-use system
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinshìyòngzhì
Wade–Gilesshih-yung-chih
A spring scale in Hong Kong shows conversions between metric system (in red), traditional Chinese unit (in green) and British Imperial Units (in blue)

History

edit

China has been using its weight measurement systems since the Zhou Dynasty, mostly with jin as the base unit. In ancient China, there was an official post called "Sima" (司馬) in charge of the military affairs. Because the management of military grain and fodder involved plenty of weighing, the units of jin, liang, qian, fen eit. were also called as "Sima Jin" (司馬斤), "Sima Liang", etc. And the measuring tools were called "Sima Scales" (司馬秤). This is still true in today's Hong Kong. One Sima jin is equal to sixteen Sima liang, which is how the idiom "half a jin vs eight liangs" [b] comes from. [8][9]

Pre-Qin weight units[10]
Unit name Alias Weight Metric conversion (approximated to today’s grams)
zhu (銖) 朱 100 shu (黍) 0.65g
liang (兩) 24铢 15.625g（or 15.8g）
jin (斤) 16两 250g
jun (鈞) 匀 30斤 7500g
shi (石) 䄷 120斤 30000g
The weight system of the Qin Dynasty and later
Dynasty Unit conversion Metric conversion (grams g)
Qin (秦) 1 shi (石)＝4 jun (鈞)；1 jun (鈞)＝30 jin (斤)；1 jin (斤)＝16 liang (兩)；1 liang (兩)＝24 zhu (銖) 1 shi (石)＝30360g；1 jun (鈞)＝7590g；1 jin (斤)＝253g；1 liang (兩)＝15.8g；1zhu (銖)＝0.66g
Han (漢) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝24銖 West Han (西漢)：1石＝29760；1鈞＝7440；1斤＝248；1兩＝15.5；1銖＝0.65
East Han (東漢)：1石＝26400；1鈞＝6600；1斤＝220；1兩＝13.8；1銖＝0.57
Three Kingdoms (三國) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝24銖 1石＝26400；1鈞＝6600；1斤＝220；1兩＝13.8；1銖＝0.57
Jin (兩晉) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝24銖 1石＝26400；1鈞＝6600；1斤＝220；1兩＝13.8；1銖＝0.57
Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北朝) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝24銖 South Qi (南齊)：1斤＝330；Liang & Chen (梁、陳)：1斤＝220；
North Wei & North Qi (北魏、北齊)：1斤＝440；North Zhou (北周)：1斤＝660
Sui (隋) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝24銖 big (大)：1石＝79320；1鈞＝19830；1斤＝661；1兩＝41.3
small (小)：1石＝26400；1鈞＝6600；1斤＝220；1兩＝13.8
Tand (唐) 1石＝4鈞；1鈞＝30斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝10 qian (錢)；1錢＝10 fen (分) 1石＝79320；1斤＝661；1兩＝41.3；1錢＝4.13；1分＝0.41
Song & Yuan (宋元) 1石＝120斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝10錢；1錢＝10分 1石＝75960；1斤＝633；1兩＝40；1錢＝4；1分＝0.4
Ming & Qing (明清) 1石＝120斤；1斤＝16兩；1兩＝10錢；1錢＝10分 1石＝70800；1斤＝590；1兩＝36.9；1錢＝3.69；1分＝0.37

The actual mass of the jin has changed in different eras and regions, but its ratio to other relevant units remains unchanged. One jin is equal to sixteen liangs, or 1/120 of a shi. Starting from the late Qing Dynasty, jin was also written in English as catty or kan based on the sounds of Malay language.[11]

Before the Qing Dynasty, various regions and industries in China had their own weight standards for jin and liang. During the Qing Dynasty, unified weights and measures were implemented. One jin was approximately 596.816 grams, which equaled 16 liangs.[12]

China Mainland

edit

Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915

edit

On 7 January 1915, the Beiyang government promulgated a measurement law to use not only metric system as the standard but also a set of Chinese-style measures based directly on the Qing dynasty definitions (营造尺库平制).[12]

Table of Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915[12]
Pinyin Character Relative value Metric value Imperial value Notes
háo 毫 1⁄10000 3.7301 mg 0.0001316 oz
lí 釐 1⁄1000 37.301 mg 0.001316 oz cash
fēn 分 1⁄100 373.01 mg 0.01316 oz candareen
qián 錢 1⁄10 3.7301 g 0.1316 oz mace or Chinese dram
liǎng 兩 1 37.301 g 1.316 oz tael or Chinese ounce
jīn 斤 16 596.816 g 1.316 lb catty or Chinese pound

where liang is the base unit.

Mass units in the Republic of China since 1930

edit

On 16 February 1929, the Nationalist government adopted and promulgated The Weights and Measures Act[13] to adopt the metric system as the official standard and to limit the newer Chinese units of measurement to private sales and trade, effective on 1 January 1930. These newer "market" units are based on rounded metric numbers. And jin became the base unit.[14]

Table of mass units in the Republic of China since 1930[14]
Pinyin Character Relative value Metric value Imperial value Notes
sī 絲 1⁄1600000 312.5 μg 0.00001102 oz
háo 毫 1⁄160000 3.125 mg 0.0001102 oz
lí 市釐 1⁄16000 31.25 mg 0.001102 oz cash
fēn 市分 1⁄1600 312.5 mg 0.01102 oz candareen
qián 市錢 1⁄160 3.125 g 0.1102 oz mace or Chinese dram
liǎng 市兩 1⁄16 31.25 g 1.102 oz tael or Chinese ounce
jīn 市斤 1 500 g 1.102 lb catty or Chinese pound
dàn 擔 100 50 kg 110.2 lb picul or Chinese hundredweight

Mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959

edit

On June 25, 1959, the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued the Order on the Unified Measurement System, retaining the market system, with the statement of "The market system originally stated that sixteen liangs are equal to one jin. Due to the trouble of conversion, it should be changed to ten liangs per jin. "[15]

Table of mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959[2]
Pinyin Character[16] 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

Legally, 1 jin equals 500 grams, and 10 liangs equals 1 jin (that is, 1 liang equals 50 grams). The traditional Chinese medicine measurement system remains unchanged (that is, 1 jin is 605 grams, and 16 liang is 1 jin).[2]

Taiwan

edit
 
Fruit sold in jin (斤) in a Taiwanese market

The jin, or kin, in Taiwan is called "Taiwan jin" or Taijin (台斤). The so-called Taijin is actually the jin used throughout China during the Qing Dynasty. In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan. The Japanese implemented the metric system, but the Taiwanese still followed their own habits and continued to use the old weights and measures. When mainland China no longer used the old system of the Qing Dynasty, the old system of weights used in Taiwan naturally became the so-called "Taiwan system." 1 Taiwan jin is 600 grams, which is equal to 16 Taiwan liang, and 1 Taiwan liang is equal to 37.5 grams. [17]

Table of units of mass in Taiwan
Unit Relative value Metric US & Imperial Notes
Taiwanese Hokkien Hakka Mandarin Character Legal Decimal Exact Approx.
Lî Lî Lí 釐 1⁄1000  ⁠3/80,000⁠ kg 37.5 mg ⁠3750/45,359,237⁠ lb 0.5787 gr Cash; Same as Japanese Rin
Hun Fûn Fēn 分 1⁄100  ⁠3/8000⁠ kg 375 mg ⁠37,500/45,359,237⁠ lb 5.787 gr Candareen; Same as Japanese Fun
Chîⁿ Chhièn Qián 錢 1⁄10  ⁠3/800⁠ kg 3.75 g ⁠375,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 2.116 dr Mace; Same as Japanese Momme (匁)
Niú Liông Liǎng 兩 1  ⁠3/80⁠ kg 37.5 g ⁠3,750,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 21.16 dr Tael
Kin/Kun Kîn Jīn 斤 16  ⁠3/5⁠ kg 600 g ⁠60,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 1.323 lb Catty; Same as Japanese Kin
Tàⁿ Tâm Dàn 擔 1600  60 kg ⁠6,000,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 132.3 lb Picul; Same as Japanese Tan

Hong Kong and Macau

edit

According to the original Hong Kong law, Article 22 of 1884, one jin is 1 and 1⁄3 pounds (that is, 3 jins is equal to 4 pounds). Currently, Hong Kong law stipulates that one jin is equal to one hundredth of a dan or sixteen liangs, which is 0.60478982 kilograms.[5]

Table of Chinese mass units in Hong Kong[5] and Macau[18]
Jyutping Character English Portuguese Relative value Relation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau) Metric value Imperial value Notes
lei4 厘 cash liz 1⁄16000 1⁄10 condorim 37.79931 mg 0.02133 dr
fan1 分 candareen (fan) condorim 1⁄1600 1⁄10 maz 377.9936375 mg 0.2133 dr
cin4 錢 mace (tsin) maz 1⁄160 1⁄10 tael 3.779936375 g 2.1333 dr
loeng2 兩 tael (leung, liang) tael 1⁄16 1⁄16 cate 37.79936375 g 1.3333 oz 604.78982/16=37.79936375
gan1 斤 catty (kan, jin) cate 1 1⁄100 pico 604.78982 g 1.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.
daam3 擔 picul (tam, dan) pico 100 None 60.478982 kg 133.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.

Similarly, Singapore law stipulates that one jin, or "catty", is also equal to 1 1⁄3 pounds, which is equal to sixteen liangs (or "taels") or 0.6048 kilograms.[6] Malaysia has the same regulations as it is a former British colony. The word "catty" comes from Malay kati, meaning "the weight". It has also been borrowed into English as caddy, meaning "a container for storing tea".

Japan

edit

In Japan, 1 jin, or kin in Japanese pronunciation, is equal to 600 grams, but it is rarely used. The exception is the jin that is currently measured by the large piece of bread (food bread) before slicing the toast. According to the fair competition regulations of the Japan Bread Fair Trade Council (Japanese Bread Fair Trade Council), a jin only needs to be more than 340 grams. Therefore, 510 grams can be called 1.5 jins. [19]

The base unit of Japanese mass is the kan, although the momme is more common. It is a recognised unit in the international pearl industry.[20] In English-speaking countries, momme is typically abbreviated as mo.

Table of units of mass [21]
Unit Kan[22] 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[c] 分 1⁄10,000 ⁠3/8000⁠ kg 375 mg ⁠37,500/45,359,237⁠ lb 5.787 gr
Momme
Monme[d] 		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[e] 斤 4⁄25 ⁠3/5⁠ kg 600 g ⁠60,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb 1.323 lb
Kan(me)[f] 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[g] 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.

Korea

edit

The base unit of Korean weight is the gwan.[29] At the time of Korea's metrification, however, the pound was in more common use. Although it was usually taken as equivalent to 600 g,[30] as with red pepper and meats,[31][32] a separate pound of 400 g was used for fruits[31][32] and another of 375[29] or 200 g was used for vegetables.[31] The nyang also sees some use among Korea's vendors of traditional Chinese medicine.[33]

The "bag" (kama) was a variable unit usually figured as 54 kg of unhusked rice or 60 kg of polished rice, although 90 kg "bags" were also used.[34]

Romanization Korean English Equivalents
RR MR[35] Other Gwan[36] Other countries Global
Ho Ho 호(毫) 1⁄1,000,000 3.75 mg (0.0579 gr)
Mo Mo 모(毛)
Ri Ri 리(釐/厘) 1⁄100,000 0.0375 g (0.00132 oz)
Pun P'un 푼 1⁄10,000 0.375 g (0.0132 oz)
Bun Pun 분(分)
Don[37] Ton 돈 1⁄1,000 Momme[36] 3.75 g (0.132 oz)[36]
Nyang Nyang Ryang[38]Yang[36] 냥(兩) Korean ounce 1⁄100 Tael 37.5 g (1.32 oz)[36]
Geun Kŭn Keun[36] Kon[39] 근(斤) Korean pound 4⁄25 (meat),

1⁄10 (others)

Jin, Catty[39] 600 g (21 oz) (meat),[36][37]375 g (13.2 oz) (others)
Gwan Kwan 관(貫) 1 3.75 kg (8.3 lb)[36][37]

Vietnam

edit

In Vietnam, the unit of jin is called "cân ta": 1 Sima jin (cân ta) = 0.6046 kilograms = 604.6 grams.

The following table lists common units of weight in Vietnam in the early 20th century:[40]

Early 20th-century units of weight
Name in Chữ Quốc ngữ Hán/Nôm name Traditional value Traditional conversion Modern value Modern conversion
tấn 擯 604.5 kg 10 tạ 1 000 kg 10 tạ
quân[41] 302.25 kg 5 tạ 500 kg obsolete
tạ 榭 60.45 kg 10 yến 100 kg 10 yến
bình[41] 30.225 kg 5 yến 50 kg obsolete
yến 6.045 kg 10 cân 10 kg 10 cân
cân 斤 604.5 g 16 lạng 1 kg 10 lạng
nén 378 g 10 lạng
lạng 兩 37.8 g 10 đồng 100 g
đồng or tiền 錢 3.78 g 10 phân
phân 分 0.38 g 10 ly
ly or li 厘 37.8 mg 10 hào
hào 毫 3.8 mg 10 ti
ti 絲 0.4 mg 10 hốt
hốt 忽 0.04 mg 10 vi
vi 微 0.004 mg

Notes:

  • The cân (lit. "scale") is also called cân ta ("our scale") to distinguish it from the kilogram (cân tây, "Western scale").[42]

Jin, pound and kilogram

edit

The three mass units of "jin", "pound" and "kilogram" are all currently used in China. Their meanings and conversions in Mainland China are as follows:[43]

  • 市斤 (Chinese jin; character-by-character translation: "market jin"): Or simply called jin, is a traditional Chinese unit of weight, equals 500 grams.
  • 公斤 (kilogram, "common jin"): An international metric unit, equivalent to 1000 grams.[43]
  • 磅 (pound, "pound"): A British Imperial unit, about 453.6 grams.

1 Chinese jin =0.5 kilograms = 1.1023 pounds in Mainland China.[43]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ "Catty" is an English translation of Chinese word "斤" (jin) according to its sounds in Malay-Javanese, before Pinyin and Jyutping were available.[1]
  2. ^ Idiom, 半斤八兩, (chiefly derogatory) six of one, half a dozen of the other; not much to choose between the two
  3. ^ The fun is more often known in English as the candareen.[23] It also sometimes appears as the kondúrí or konderi.[24]
  4. ^ Although monme is the Revised Hepburn romanization of the unit, momme is more common in English.[25] It also sometimes appears as the mommé, me,[citation needed] or mas.[24]
  5. ^ Particularly in historical sources, the kin is more commonly known in English as the catty[26] or katí.[24]
  6. ^ The kan is also sometimes known in English as the kwan.[27]
  7. ^ Particularly in historical sources, the tan is more commonly known in English as the picul,[28] pikul, or pikel.[24]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Oxford English Dictionary".
  2. ^ a b c d (in Chinese) 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, No. 180, pages 311 to 312
  3. ^ Weights and Measures in Use in Taiwan Archived 2010-12-29 at the Wayback Machine from the Republic of China Yearbook – Taiwan 2001.
  4. ^ a b "Regulation on Approval and Notification of Herbal (crude) Medicinal Preparations, Etc". Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
  5. ^ a b c "Weights and Measures Ordinance". Laws of Hong Kong.
  6. ^ a b "Weights and Measures Act". Statutes of the Republic of Singapore.
  7. ^ "Weights and Measures Act 1972". Laws of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01.
  8. ^ "司马 (Sima)" (in Chinese). 在线新华字典 (Xinhua Dictionary on Line).
  9. ^ 黄文照，张云然编 (Huang Wenzhao and Zhang Yuenran., ed. (2007). 中外计量换算手册[M] (Handbook of conversion between measurement units in China and abroad) (in Chinese). Beijing: 中国商务出版社 (China Business Press).
  10. ^ 《中国钱币大辞典》编纂委 (Editorial Committee of the Chinese Coin Dictionary) (December 1995). 中国钱币大辞典·先秦篇 (Chinese Coin Dictionary·Pre-Qin Period). 中华书局 (Zhonghua Book Company). ISBN 9787101012415.
  11. ^ 莫文暢. 唐字音英語. Event occurs at 20世紀初.
  12. ^ a b c "權度法 [Quándù Fǎ]", 政府公報 [Zhèngfǔ Gōngbào, Government Gazette], vol. 957, Beijing: Office of the President, 7 January 1915, pp. 85–94[permanent dead link‍] (in Chinese)
  13. ^ "The Weights and Measures Act: Legislative History". Ministry of Justice (Republic of China).
  14. ^ a b "The Weights and Measures Act (1929)". Legislative Yuan. Archived from the original on 2014-04-25.
  15. ^ "国务院关于统一我国计量制度的命令 (Order of the State Council on unifying my country's measurement system)". Archived from the original on 2010-12-06. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
  16. ^ (in Chinese) 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, No. 180, page 316
  17. ^ Andrade, Tonio (2005). "Appendix A: Weights, Measures, and Exchange Rates". How Taiwan Became Chinese: Dutch, Spanish, and Han Colonization in the Seventeenth Century. Columbia University Press.
  18. ^ Law No. 14/92/M ((in Chinese) 第14/92/M號法律; (in Portuguese) Lei n.o 14/92/M)
  19. ^ 日本パン公正取引協議会：包装食パンの斤表示の義務化. www.pan-koutorikyo.jp. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2018-08-17.
  20. ^ Winterson Limited (April 2004). "What is a Pearl Momme?". Retrieved 7 February 2019. For these larger lots, pearls are sold by mass and the unit commonly used is the momme, a traditional Japanese unit equal to 3.75 grams. [...] For larger lots of pearls, auctioneers may use the kan, which is equal to 1,000 momme.
  21. ^ Iwata, Shigeo. "Weights and Measures in Japan"
  22. ^ Nagase-Reimer (2016), p. xiii.
  23. ^ OED, "candareen, n.".
  24. ^ a b c d Renouard (1845), p. 486.
  25. ^ OED, "momme, n.".
  26. ^ OED, "catty, n.¹".
  27. ^ USWD (1944), p. 400.
  28. ^ OED, "picul, n.".
  29. ^ a b Kim (2007).
  30. ^ HMC & 22 July 2007.
  31. ^ a b c Jo (2006).
  32. ^ a b Kim (2015).
  33. ^ B., Paul (21 February 2011), "Measurements", An Acorn in the Dog's Food, LiveJournal.
  34. ^ Sorensen (1988), p. 280.
  35. ^ Ledyard (1994), p. 285.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h UN (1955), III-59.
  37. ^ a b c Fessley (2009), p. 7.
  38. ^ Grayson (2001), p. 219.
  39. ^ a b Rowlett (2002), "K".
  40. ^ "Vietnam, units of mass". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2005-12-28.
  41. ^ a b Manuel de conversation française-annamite [French-Annamite conversation manual] (in French). Saigon: Imprimerie de la Mission. 1911. pp. 175–178.
  42. ^ "binh". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2004-01-23.
  43. ^ a b c Language Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (2016). 现代汉语词典 (附錄：計量單位表) [Contemporary Chinese Dictionary (Appendix: Measure units)] (in Chinese) (7th ed.). Beijing: Commercial Press. p. 1790. ISBN 978-7-100-12450-8.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jin_(mass)&oldid=1256320606"