About
The character 寸 originated from a pictograph depicting a hand, with a dot added to indicate the location at the wrist where a pulse is taken, representing a unit of length approximately the width of a thumb. Its modern structure, composed of a horizontal stroke, a vertical hook, and a dot, abstracts this depiction of a hand and a specific point. Initially denoting a concrete measurement, the term's meaning broadened to imply smallness or precision, as evidenced in compounds like 寸陰 (a moment of time) or 寸步 (a tiny step), and it serves as a semantic component in characters related to hand actions or dimensions.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这件衣服尺寸合适。
我需要知道桌子的尺寸。
这个屏幕有十英寸。
他说话很有分寸。
他理了一个寸头。
虽然只差一寸，但他还是没有够到。
在测量时，每一寸都要非常准确。
这个设计师注重每一寸布料的利用，以减少浪费。