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Vietnamese units of measurement

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Vietnamese units of measurement (Vietnamese: hệ đo lường Việt Nam) are the largely decimal units of measurement traditionally used in Vietnam until metrication. The base unit of length is the thước (chữ Nôm: 𡱩; lit. "ruler") or xích (Chinese: 尺; pinyin: chǐ). Some of the traditional unit names have been repurposed for metric units, such as thước for the metre, while other traditional names remain in translations of imperial units, such as dặm Anh (English "dặm") for the mile.

History

Originally, many thước of varying lengths were in use in Vietnam, each used for different purposes. According to Hoàng Phê (1988),[1] the traditional system of units had at least two thước of different lengths before 1890,[2] the thước ta (lit. "our ruler") or thước mộc ("wooden ruler"), equal to 0.425 metres (1 ft 4.7 in), and the thước đo vải ("ruler for measuring cloth"), equal to 0.645 metres (2 ft 1.4 in). According to historian Nguyễn Đình Đầu,[3][4] the trường xích and điền xích were both equal to 0.4664 metres (1 ft 6.36 in), while according to Phan Thanh Hải,[5] there were three main thước: the thước đo vải, from 0.6 to 0.65 metres (2 ft 0 in to 2 ft 2 in); the thước đo đất ("ruler for measuring land"), at 0.47 metres (1 ft 7 in); and the thước mộc, from 0.28 to 0.5 metres (11 in to 1 ft 8 in).

With French colonization, Cochinchina converted to the metric system, the French standard, while Annam and Tonkin continued to use a thước đo đất or điền xích equal to 0.47 metres (1 ft 7 in). On June 2, 1897, Indochinese Governor-General Paul Doumer decreed that all the variations of thước (such as thước ta, thước mộc, and điền xích) would be unified at one thước ta to 0.40 metres (1 ft 4 in), effective January 1, 1898, in Tonkin. Annam retained the old standard for measuring land, so distance and area (such as sào) in Annam were 4.7/4 and (4.7/4)2 times the equivalent units in Tonkin, respectively.[6]

Length

The following table lists common units of length in Vietnam in the early 20th century, according to a United Nations Statistical Commission handbook:[7][8]

Early 20th-century units of length
Name in quốc ngữ Nôm/Chinese name[9][10] Traditional value Traditional conversion Modern value Modern conversion
trượng 丈 4 m 2 ngũ = 10 thước
ngũ 五 2 m 5 thước
thước or xích 𡱩/尺 40 cm 10 tấc 1 m 10 tấc
tấc 𡬷 4 cm 10 phân 10 cm 10 phân
phân 分 4 mm 10 ly 1 cm 10 ly
ly or li 釐 0.4 mm 10 hào 1 mm
hào 毫 0.04 mm 10 ti
ti 絲 4 µm 10 hốt
hốt 忽 0.4 µm 10 vi
vi 微 0.04 µm

Notes:

  • The thước is also called thước ta to distinguish it from the metre (thước tây, lit. "Western ruler"). Other than for measuring length, the thước is also used for measuring land area (see below).
  • According to the UN handbook,[7] some areas unofficially use 1 trượng = 4.7 metres (15 ft). According to Hoàng Phê (1988),[11] the trượng has two definitions: 10 Chinese chi (about 3.33 m) or 4 thước mộc (about 1.70 m).
  • The tấc is also given as túc.[12] According to the UN handbook,[7] some areas unofficially use 1 tấc = 4.7 centimetres (1.9 in).

Miscellaneous units:

chai vai
1 chai vai = 14.63 metres (48.0 ft)[13]
dặm
According to Hoàng Phê (1988),[14] 1 dặm = 444.44 metres (1,458.1 ft). According to Vĩnh Cao and Nguyễn Phố (2001),[15] 1 dặm = 1 800 xích (Chinese chi) = 576 metres (1,890 ft)
lý or lí
According to Vĩnh Cao and Nguyễn Phố (2001),[15] there are two kinds of lý: 1 công lý = 1 km = 3 125 xích, while thị lý is a traditional unit equal to 1 562.55 xích.
sải

Area

The following table lists common units of area in Vietnam in the early 20th century, according to the UN handbook:[7]

Early 20th-century units of area
Name in quốc ngữ Chinese/Nôm name[9] Traditional value Traditional conversion Dimensions Annamite value
mẫu 畝 3 600 m2 10 sào 4 970 m2
sào 巢 360 m2 10 miếng 497 m2
miếng 36 m2 3 ngũ × 3 ngũ
xích or thước 尺/𡱩 24 m2 10 tấc 33 m2
than 4 m2 1 ngũ × 1 ngũ
tấc or thốn 𡬷/寸 2.4 m2 10 phân 3.313 5 m2
phân 0.24 m2
ô or ghế 0.16 m2 10 khấu 1 thước × 1 thước
khấu 0.016 m2

Notes:

  • Annamite units of area were (⁠4.7/4⁠)2 times those of other areas, due to units of length (trượng, tấc, etc.) being ⁠4.7/4⁠ times those of other areas, as explained above.
  • According to the UN handbook,[7] the phân is also written phấn.
  • The sào is also given as cao.[16] Tonkin and Annam had different definitions of the sào.

Miscellaneous units:

công or công đất
The công, used for surveying forested areas, typically in southwestern Vietnam, was equivalent to 1,000 square metres (11,000 sq ft).
dặm vuông
The dặm vuông measures 1 dặm × 1 dặm.

Volume

The following table lists common units of volume in Vietnam in the early 20th century, according to the UN handbook[7] and Thiều Chửu:[9]

Early 20th-century units of volume
Name in quốc ngữ Chinese/Nôm name[9] Traditional value Traditional conversion Dimensions Notes
hộc 斛 16 m3 10 lẻ 10 ngũ × 1 ngũ × 1 thước 1 hộc of unhusked rice ≈ 60 L
miếng 14.4 m3 3 ngũ × 3 ngũ × 1 thước For buying and selling land
lẻ or than 1.6 m3 1 ngũ × 1 ngũ × 1 thước 1 lẻ of husked rice ≈ 0.1 L
thưng or thăng 2 L 1 000 sao
đấu 1 L 2 bát = 5 cáp
bát 0.5 L
cáp 0.2 L 100 sao
sao or (colloquially) nhắm[17] 抄 2 mL 10 toát Grain
toát or (colloquially) nhón[17] 撮 0.2 mL Grain

Additionally:

  • 1 phương of husked rice = 13 thăng or 30 bát (bowls) in 1804[18]
  • 1 vuông of husked rice = 604 gr 50[19]
  • 1 phương or vuông or commonly giạ = 38.5 litres (8.5 imp gal; 10.2 US gal), though it is sometimes given as 1 phương = ½ hộc or about 30 L
  • During French administration, 1 giạ was defined as 40 litres (8.8 imp gal; 11 US gal) for husked rice but only 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal) for some other goods.[20] It was commonly used for measuring rice and salt.
  • 1 túc = 3+1⁄3 microlitres (0.00020 cu in)[12]
  • 1 uyên = 1 litre (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal)[21]

The following table lists units of volume in use during French administration in Cochinchina:[22]

Units of volume in Cochinchina
Name in quốc ngữ Traditional conversion Traditional value Usage Weight
hộc 26 thăng 71.905 L unhusked rice 1 tạ of unhusked rice = 68 kg[20]
vuông 13 thăng 35.953 L, later 40 L husked rice
thăng 2.766 L
hiệp 0.1 thăng 0.276 L
thược 0.01 thăng 0.0276 L

Notes:

  • Unhusked rice was measured in hộc while husked rice was measured in vuông because a hộc of unhusked rice becomes 1 vuông after husking.
  • 1 hộc of unhusked rice weighs 1 tạ.

Miscellaneous units:

thùng
In Cochinchina and Cambodia, 1 thùng (lit. "bucket") = 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal). The thùng is also given as tau.[23]

Weight

The following table lists common units of weight in Vietnam in the early 20th century:[24]

Early 20th-century units of weight
Name in quốc ngữ Chinese/Nôm name[9][10] Traditional value Traditional conversion Modern value Modern conversion
tấn 擯 604.5 kg 10 tạ 1 000 kg 10 tạ
quân[17] 302.25 kg 5 tạ 500 kg obsolete
tạ 榭 60.45 kg 10 yến 100 kg 10 yến
bình[17] 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 tấn in the context of ship capacity is equal to 2.8317 or 1.1327 cubic metres (100.00 or 40.00 cu ft).[25]
  • The cân (lit. "scale") is also called cân ta ("our scale") to distinguish it from the kilogram (cân tây, "Western scale").
  • The nén is also given in one source as 375 grams (13.2 oz),[25] but this value conflicts with the lạng from the same source at 37.8 grams (1.33 oz). The 375-gram value is consistent with the system of units for measuring precious metals.
  • The đồng is also called đồng cân, to distinguish it from monetary uses.[25]
  • The French colonial administration defined some additional units for use in trade: nén = 2 thoi = 10 đính = 10 lượng[17]

Units for measuring precious metals:

  • The lạng, also called cây or lượng, is equal to 10 chỉ. 1 cây = 37.50 grams (1.323 oz)
  • 1 chỉ = 3.75 grams (0.132 oz)

Miscellaneous units:

binh
  • The binh was equivalent to 69 pounds (31 kg) in Annam.[26]

Time

canh (更)
The canh or trống canh is equal to 2 hours (7,200 s).
giờ
The giờ, giờ đồng hồ, or tiếng đồng hồ is equal to 1 hour (3,600 s).

Currency

Traditionally, the basic units of Vietnamese currency were quan (貫, quán), tiền, and đồng. One quan was 10 tiền, and one tiền was between 50 and 100 đồng, depending on the time period.

  • From the reign of Emperor Trần Thái Tông onward, 1 tiền was 69 đồng in ordinary commercial transactions but 1 tiền was 70 đồng for official transactions.
  • From the reign of Emperor Lê Lợi, 1 tiền was decreed to be 50 đồng.
  • During the Northern and Southern dynasties period, beginning in 1528, coins were reduced from 24 millimetres (0.94 in) to 23 millimetres (0.91 in) in diameter and diluted with zinc and iron. The smaller coinage was called tiền gián or sử tiền, in contrast to the larger tiền quý (literally, "valuable cash") or cổ tiền. One quan tiền quý was equivalent to 600 đồng, while 1 quan tiền gián was only 360 đồng.[27]
  • During the Later Lê dynasty, 1 tiền was 60 đồng; therefore, 600 đồng was 1 quan.
  • During the Yuan dynasty, Vietnamese traders at the border with China used the rate 1 tiền to 67 đồng.
  • Zinc coins began to appear in Dai Viet during the 18th century. One copper (đồng) coin was worth 3 zinc (kẽm) coins.
  • Beginning with the reign of Emperor Gia Long, both copper and zinc coins were in use. Originally the two coins had equal value, but eventually a copper coin rose to double the worth of a zinc coin, then triple, then sixfold, until the reign of Emperor Thành Thái, it was worth ten times a zinc coin.

Under French colonial rule, Vietnam used the units hào, xu, chinh, and cắc. After independence, Vietnam used đồng, hào, and xu, with 1 đồng equaling 10 hào or 100 xu. After the Vietnam War, chronic inflation caused both subdivisions to fall out of use, leaving đồng as the only unit of currency. However, Overseas Vietnamese communities continue to use hào and xu to refer to the tenth and hundredth denominations, respectively, of a foreign currency, such as xu for the American cent.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hoàng Phê, ed. (1988). Từ điển tiếng Việt (in Vietnamese). Sociology Publishing House.
  2. ^ Lê Thành Khôi (2000). "Tìm hiểu một số đơn vị đo lường ngày trước" [Understanding some of the units of measurements from the past]. Kỷ yếu Hội thảo phục hồi điện Cần Chánh (in Vietnamese). Huế and Tokyo: Hue Monuments Conservation Center and Waseda University.
  3. ^ Nguyễn Đình Đầu (1997). Nghiên cứu địa bạ triều Nguyễn – Thừa Thiên (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
  4. ^ Nguyễn Đình Đầu (1994). Nghiên cứu địa bạ triều Nguyễn – Biên Hòa (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
  5. ^ "Hệ thống thước đo thời Nguyễn" [Systems of length measurement during the Nguyễn dynasty] (in Vietnamese). NetCoDo. 2009-06-03. Archived from the original on 2013-01-14.
  6. ^ Dương Kinh Quốc (1999). Việt Nam: những sự kiện lịch sử [Vietnam: historic events] (in Vietnamese). Hanoi: Education Publishing House. p. 236.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "World Weights and Measures". Handbook for Statisticians. Statistical Papers. Vol. M (1 ed.). New York: Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistical Office of the United Nations. 1966. ST/STAT/SER.M/21/rev.1.
  8. ^ "Vietnam, pre-metric units of length". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2005-12-28.
  9. ^ a b c d e Thiều Chửu (2002). Hán-Việt tự điển (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh Publishing House. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. ^ a b Vũ Văn Kính (1999). Đại Tự Điển Chữ Nôm (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City Letters and Arts Publishing House. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ Hoàng Phê 1988, p. 1093.
  12. ^ a b "túc". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2001-10-17.
  13. ^ "chai vai". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2001-07-18.
  14. ^ Hoàng Phê 1988, p. 264.
  15. ^ a b Vĩnh Cao; Nguyễn Phố (2001). Từ lâm Hán Việt từ điển. Huế: Thuan Hoa Publishing House. p. 1368. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. ^ "cao". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2005-12-28.
  17. ^ a b c d e Manuel de conversation française-annamite [French-Annamite conversation manual] (in French). Saigon: Imprimerie de la Mission. 1911. pp. 175–178.
  18. ^ Thực Lục, III, 241 - Đại Nam Điển Lệ, p. 223.
  19. ^ Nguyễn Văn Trình; Ưng Trình (1917). BAVH.
  20. ^ a b Savani, A. M. (1955). Visage et Images du Sud Viet-Nam (in French). Saigon: Imprimerie Française d'Outre-mer. p. 245.
  21. ^ "uyên". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2001-01-21.
  22. ^ Sơn Nam. "Chương 1.4". Lịch sử Khẩn hoang miền Nam [History of Development in the South].
  23. ^ "tau". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2004-08-02.
  24. ^ "Vietnam, units of mass". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2005-12-28.
  25. ^ a b c Hồ Ngọc Đức. Free Vietnamese Dictionary Project. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. ^ "binh". Sizes. Sizes, Inc. 2004-01-23.
  27. ^ Tạ Chí Đại Trường (2004). "Tiền bạc, văn chương và lịch sử". Sử Việt, đọc vài quyển (in Vietnamese). Văn Mới Publishing House. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
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