Jin (mass)

Jin (Chinese: 斤; pinyin: jīn), or gan in Cantonese, kin in Taiwanese and Japanese, also called "Chinese pound" or "catty",^[a] is a traditional Chinese unit for weight measurement in East Asia. It originated in China before being introduced to neighboring countries. Today, the mass of 1 jin ranges between 500 and 605 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] 604.5 grams historically in Vietnam,^[6] and 604.8 grams in Singapore and Malaysia.^[7][8] 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 meaning	market system
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin shìzhì Wade–Giles shih-chih
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese	市用制
Literal meaning	market-use system
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin shìyòngzhì Wade–Giles shih-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

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 where the idiom "half a jin vs eight liangs"^[b][9] comes from.^[10][11]

Pre-Qin weight units^[12]

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
dan (石)	䄷	120斤	30000g

The weight system of the Qin Dynasty and later

Dynasty	Unit conversion	Metric conversion (grams g)
Qin (秦)	1 dan (石)＝4 jun (鈞)；1 jun (鈞)＝30 jin (斤)；1 jin (斤)＝16 liang (兩)；1 liang (兩)＝24 zhu (銖)	1 dan (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 dan. Starting from the late Qing Dynasty, jin was also written in English as catty or kan based on the sounds of Malay language.^[13]

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.^[14]

China Mainland

Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915

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).^[14][15]

Table of Chinese mass units promulgated in 1915^[14]

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

On 16 February 1929, the Nationalist government adopted and promulgated The Weights and Measures Act^[16] 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.^[17]

Table of mass units in the Republic of China since 1930^[17]

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

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."^[18]

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

Pinyin	Character[19]	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

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 Taiwan 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.^[20]

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

Hong Kong and Macau mass units

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^[21]

Jyutping	Character	English	Portuguese	Relative value	Relation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau)	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
lei4	厘	li, cash	liz	1⁄16000	1⁄10 condorim	37.79931 mg	0.02133 dr
fan1	分	fen, candareen (fan)	condorim	1⁄1600	1⁄10 maz	377.9936375 mg	0.2133 dr
cin4	錢	qian, mace (tsin)	maz	1⁄160	1⁄10 tael	3.779936375 g	2.1333 dr
loeng2	兩	liang, leung, tael	tael	1⁄16	1⁄16 cate	37.79936375 g	1.3333 oz	604.78982/16=37.79936375
gan1	斤	jin, kan, catty	cate	1	1⁄100 pico	604.78982 g	1.3333 lb	Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.
daam3	擔	dan, tam, picul	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.^[7] 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".

Hong Kong troy units

These are used for trading precious metals such as gold and silver.

Table of mass (Hong Kong troy) units^[22]

English	Character	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
fen (candareen) troy	金衡分	1⁄100	374.29 mg	0.096 drt
qian (mace) troy	金衡錢	1⁄10	3.7429 g	0.96 drt
liang (tael) troy	金衡兩	1	37.429 g	1.2 ozt

Japan

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 Japanese Bread Fair Trade Council, a jin only needs to be more than 340 grams. Therefore, 510 grams can be called 1.5 jins.^[23]

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.^[24] In English-speaking countries, momme is typically abbreviated as mo.

Table of units of mass ^[25]

Unit		Kan[26]	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	分	1⁄10,000	⁠3/8000⁠ kg	375 mg	⁠37,500/45,359,237⁠ lb	5.787 gr
Momme Monme[c]	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[d]	斤	4⁄25	⁠3/5⁠ kg	600 g	⁠60,000,000/45,359,237⁠ lb	1.323 lb
Kan(me)[e]	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[f]	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

The base unit of Korean weight is the gwan.^[32] 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,^[33] as with red pepper and meats,^[34][35] a separate pound of 400 g was used for fruits^[34][35] and another of 375^[32] or 200 g was used for vegetables.^[34] The nyang also sees some use among Korea's vendors of traditional Chinese medicine.^[36]

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.^[37]

Romanization			Korean	English	Equivalents
RR	MR[38]	Other			Gwan[39]	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[40]	Ton		돈		1⁄1,000	Momme[39]	3.75 g (0.132 oz)[39]
Nyang	Nyang	Ryang[41]Yang[39]	냥(兩)	Korean ounce	1⁄100	Tael	37.5 g (1.32 oz)[39]
Geun	Kŭn	Keun[39] Kon[42]	근(斤)	Korean pound	4⁄25 (meat), 1⁄10 (others)	Jin, Catty[42]	600 g (21 oz) (meat),[39][40]375 g (13.2 oz) (others)
Gwan	Kwan		관(貫)		1		3.75 kg (8.3 lb)[39][40]

Vietnam

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:^[43]

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[44]		302.25 kg	5 tạ	500 kg	obsolete
tạ	榭	60.45 kg	10 yến	100 kg	10 yến
bình[44]		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").^[45]

Jin, pound and kilogram

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:^[46]

• 市斤 (Chinese jin; character-by-character translation: "market jin"): Or simply called jin, also called "Chinese pound", is a traditional Chinese unit of weight, equals 500 grams.
• 公斤 (kilogram, "common jin"): An international metric unit, equivalent to 1000 grams.^[46]
• 磅 (pound, "pound"): A British Imperial unit, about 453.6 grams.

1 Chinese jin = 0.5 kilograms = 1.1023 pounds in Mainland China.^[46]

Idioms

• wikt:幾斤幾兩 (jǐjīnjǐliǎng)
• wikt:半斤八兩 (bànjīnbāliǎng)
• wikt:缺斤少兩 (quējīnshǎoliǎng)
• wikt:斤斤計較 (jīnjīnjìjiào)

See also

• Catty
• Chinese units of measurement
• Hong Kong units of measurement
• Taiwanese units of measurement
• Japanese units of measurement
• Korean units of measurement
• Vietnamese units of measurement

Notes

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. Although monme is the Revised Hepburn romanization of the unit, momme is more common in English.^[27] It also sometimes appears as the mommé, me,^{[citation needed]} or mas.^[28]
4. Particularly in historical sources, the kin is more commonly known in English as the catty^[29] or katí.^[28]
5. The kan is also sometimes known in English as the kwan.^[30]
6. Particularly in historical sources, the tan is more commonly known in English as the picul,^[31] pikul, or pikel.^[28]