Vietnamese units of measurement (Vietnamese:hệ đo lường Việt Nam) are the largely decimalunits of measurement traditionally used inVietnam untilmetrication. The base unit of length is thethước (chữ Nôm:𡱩; lit. "ruler") orxích (chữ Hán:尺). Some of the traditional unit names have been repurposed formetric units, such asthước for themetre, while other traditional names remain in translations ofimperial units, such asdặm Anh (English "dặm") for themile.
Originally, manythước of varying lengths were in use in Vietnam, each used for different purposes. According toHoàng Phê (1988),[1] the traditional system of units had at least twothước of different lengths before 1890,[2] thethước ta (lit. "our ruler") orthước mộc ("wooden ruler"), equal to 0.425 metres (1 ft 4.7 in), and thethước đo vải ("ruler for measuring cloth"), equal to 0.645 metres (2 ft 1.4 in). According to historianNguyễn Đình Đầu,[3][4] thetrường xích andđiền xích were both equal to 0.4664 metres (1 ft 6.36 in), while according to Phan Thanh Hải,[5] there were three mainthước: thethước đo vải, from 0.6 to 0.65 metres (2 ft 0 in to 2 ft 2 in); thethước đo đất ("ruler for measuring land"), at 0.47 metres (1 ft 7 in); and thethước mộc, from 0.28 to 0.5 metres (11 in to 1 ft 8 in).
WithFrench colonization,Cochinchina converted to themetric system, the French standard, whileAnnam andTonkin continued to use athước đo đất orđiền xích equal to 0.47 metres (1 ft 7 in). On June 2, 1897,Indochinese Governor-GeneralPaul Doumer decreed that all the variations ofthước (such asthước ta,thước mộc, andđiền xích) would be unified at onethước 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 assào) in Annam were 4.7/4 and (4.7/4)2 times the equivalent units in Tonkin, respectively.[6]
Thethước is also calledthước ta to distinguish it from the metre (thước tây, lit. "Western ruler"). Other than for measuring length, thethước is also used for measuring land area (seebelow).
According to the UN handbook,[7] some areas unofficially use 1trượng = 4.7 metres (15 ft). According to Hoàng Phê (1988),[11] thetrượng has two definitions: 10 Chinesechi (about 3.33 m) or 4thước mộc (about 1.70 m).
Thetấc is also given astúc.[12] According to the UN handbook,[7] some areas unofficially use 1tấc = 4.7 centimetres (1.9 in).
According to Hoàng Phê (1988),[14] 1dặm = 444.44 metres (1,458.1 ft). According to Vĩnh Cao and Nguyễn Phố (2001),[15] 1dặm =1 800xích (Chinesechi) = 576 metres (1,890 ft)
According to Vĩnh Cao and Nguyễn Phố (2001),[15] there are two kinds oflý: 1công lý = 1 km =3 125xích, whilethị lý is a traditional unit equal to1 562.55xích.
Annamite units of area were (4.7/4)2 times those of other areas, due to units of length (trượng,tấc, etc.) being4.7/4 times those of other areas, as explainedabove.
According to the UN handbook,[7] thephân is also writtenphấn.
Thesào is also given ascao.[16] Tonkin and Annam had different definitions of thesào.
Miscellaneous units:
công orcông đất
Thecông, used for surveying forested areas, typically in southwestern Vietnam, was equivalent to 1,000 square metres (11,000 sq ft).
1phương orvuông or commonlygiạ = 38.5 litres (8.5 imp gal; 10.2 US gal), though it is sometimes given as 1phương = ½hộc or about 30 L
During French administration, 1giạ 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.
Thetấn in the context of ship capacity is equal to 2.8317 or 1.1327 cubic metres (100.00 or 40.00 cu ft).[25]
Thecân (lit. "scale") is also calledcân ta ("our scale") to distinguish it from thekilogram (cân tây, "Western scale").
Thenén is also given in one source as 375 grams (13.2 oz),[25] but this value conflicts with thelạng from the same source at 37.8 grams (1.33 oz). The 375-gram value is consistent with the system of units formeasuring precious metals.
Theđồng is also calledđồng cân, to distinguish it frommonetary uses.[25]
The French colonial administration defined some additional units for use in trade:nén = 2thoi = 10đính = 10lượng[17]
Units for measuring precious metals:
Thelạng, also calledcây orlượng, is equal to 10chỉ. 1 cây = 37.50 grams (1.323 oz)
1chỉ = 3.75 grams (0.132 oz)
Miscellaneous units:
binh
Thebinh was equivalent to 69 pounds (31 kg) in Annam.[26]
Traditionally, the basic units of Vietnamese currency werequan (貫,quán),tiền, andđồng. Onequan was 10tiền, and onetiền was between 50 and 100đồng, depending on the time period.
From the reign of EmperorTrần Thái Tông onward, 1tiền was 69đồng in ordinary commercial transactions but 1tiền was 70đồng for official transactions.
From the reign of EmperorLê Lợi, 1tiền was decreed to be 50đồng.
During theNorthern 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 calledtiền gián orsử tiền, in contrast to the largertiền quý (literally, "valuable cash") orcổ tiền. Onequan tiền quý was equivalent to 600đồng, while 1quan tiền gián was only 360đồng.[27]
During theLater Lê dynasty, 1tiền was 60đồng; therefore, 600đồng was 1quan.
During theYuan dynasty, Vietnamese traders at the border with China used the rate 1tiền to 67đồng.
Zinc coins began to appear inDai Viet during the 18th century. One copper (đồng) coin was worth 3 zinc (kẽm) coins.
Beginning with the reign of EmperorGia 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 EmperorThành Thái, it was worth ten times a zinc coin.
Under French colonial rule, Vietnam used the unitshào,xu,chinh, andcắc. After independence, Vietnam usedđồng,hào, andxu, with 1đồng equaling 10hào or 100xu. After the Vietnam War, chronic inflation caused both subdivisions to fall out of use, leavingđồng as the only unit of currency. However,Overseas Vietnamese communities continue to usehào andxu to refer to the tenth and hundredth denominations, respectively, of a foreign currency, such asxu for theAmerican cent.
^Hoàng Phê, ed. (1988).Từ điển tiếng Việt (in Vietnamese). Sociology Publishing House.
^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 andTokyo: Hue Monuments Conservation Center andWaseda University.
^Nguyễn Đình Đầu (1997).Nghiên cứu địa bạ triều Nguyễn – Thừa Thiên (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
^Nguyễn Đình Đầu (1994).Nghiên cứu địa bạ triều Nguyễn – Biên Hòa (in Vietnamese). Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House.
^Dương Kinh Quốc (1999).Việt Nam: những sự kiện lịch sử [Vietnam: historic events] (in Vietnamese).Hanoi: Education Publishing House. p. 236.
^abcdef"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.
^abVũ 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)
