Definitions
(noun)
catty (Chinese unit of weight); 500g in mainland China; 600g in Taiwan; 604g in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore
Etymology
Pictograph of an adze for carving wood.
About
The character "斤" derives from an early pictogram depicting a curved-blade axe or adze, a common tool in ancient times, and its structure remains a single, indivisible unit in its modern form. Originally representing the tool itself, the meaning of "斤" shifted over centuries to denote a standard unit of weight, the Chinese catty, a transition probably influenced by the axe's common use and standardized mass. Today, it is used almost exclusively for this measurement, while its original sense as a tool has become obsolete.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这条鱼重三斤。
我买了五斤苹果。
西瓜一斤多少钱？
苹果每斤五块钱。
昨天晚上我买了三斤排骨。
做这道汤需要一斤冬瓜。
如果便宜点，我就买十斤。
请帮我把这些土豆称一下，看看有几斤。