平方尺 (píng fāng chě) — (classifier) square chi (traditional Chinese unit of area, ∼0.111 m²)

Definition

Traditional Chinese unit of area (1 平方尺 ≈ 0.111 m²), used in property and renovation contexts like the examples below. It is a measure word-style classifier, not a length unit.

classifier
square chi (traditional Chinese unit of area, ∼0.111 m²)

Examples

  • 平方尺。
    Zhè jiān wò shì de miàn jī zhǐ yǒu sān shí píng fāng chě zuǒ yòu.
    The area of this bedroom is only about thirty square chi.
  • 平方尺。
    Zhuāng xiū gōng sī shuō měi píng fāng chě de zhuāng xiū fèi shì wǔ shí yuán.
    The renovation company said the decoration fee per square chi is fifty yuan.
  • 平方尺。
    Yì fú sì chǐ duì kāi de xuān zhǐ dà yuē yǒu bā píng fāng chě.
    A piece of Xuan paper that is four chi by two chi is about eight square chi.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

平方square
平pínglevel方fāngsquare
偏正Modifier + head
尺chǐchi

平 and 方 give the square-area sense, and 尺 names the chi unit.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 方 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape is thought to picture a hand with the thumb and middle finger spread apart, like a natural ruler for measuring length.

Open 尺 →

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