(liàng) — quantity, amount; capacity, volume

Definition

量 (liàng) as a noun means 'quantity / amount' — abstract how-much, not physical capacity. For a container's capacity, say 容量; for sound volume, 音量.

noun
quantityamountcapacityvolume

Examples

  • Zhè ge fáng jiān de róng liàng hěn dà.
    The capacity of this room is very large.
  • Qǐng gào sù wǒ zhǔn què de liàng.
    Please tell me the exact amount.
  • Zhè zhǒng cái liào de zhòng liàng hěn qīng.
    The weight of this material is very light.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

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

  • sun
  • dōngbag; east

量 has 日 (sun) over 東 (bag; east). Some explanations suggest measuring under the sun or the sun rising in the east, but the exact origin is unclear.

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