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Kotomora

尺

shaku, Japanese foot, measure, scale, rule

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 6FrequencyTop 2,000Strokes4

Readings

On'yomi

  • シャク
  • セキ

Kun'yomi

  • さし

Meaning

尺 centers on a unit of length and the act of measuring: a shaku (Japanese foot), a ruler, or a scale. The idea extends naturally to any tool or standard used for measuring.

Most common words using 尺

20 of 88
  • 尺しゃく

    shaku (unit of distance approximately equal to 30.3 cm)

  • 尺度しゃくど

    gauge; standard; measure; criterion; index

  • 尺八しゃくはち

    shakuhachi; end-blown fippleless bamboo flute

  • 縮尺しゅくしゃく

    reduced scale; scaling down

  • 巻尺まきじゃく

    tape measure

  • 三尺さんじゃく

    3 Japanese feet; waistband; belt; cloth girdle

  • カーブ尺カーブじゃく

    curved ruler

  • 一人尺八ひとりしゃくはち

    autofellatio

  • 一尺いっしゃく

    approx. 30 cm

  • 三尺の秋水さんじゃくのしゅうすい

    sharpened sword

  • 三尺の童子さんじゃくのどうじ

    mere child

  • 三尺下がって師の影を踏まずさんじゃくさがってしのかげをふまず

    a student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)

  • 三尺去って師の影を踏まずさんじゃくさってしのかげをふまず

    a student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)

  • 三尺帯さんじゃくおび

    waistband; belt; cloth girdle; obi

  • 九尺二間くしゃくにけん

    (tiny) house about nine feet wide and 12 feet deep

  • 享保尺きょうほうじゃく

    Kyōhō shaku (approx. 30.36 cm)

  • 人間は万物の尺度であるにんげんはばんぶつのしゃくどである

    man is the measure of all things

  • 八尺瓊やさかに

    large jewel

  • 八尺瓊勾玉やさかにのまがたま

    large jewel; string of jewels

  • 六尺ろくしゃく

    six feet

Explore all words using 尺 →

Study

Etymology

尺 is a pictograph of a hand measuring a span, with the modern form preserving a stylized hand shape. The character originally represented a unit of length based on the distance from the thumb to the middle finger.

Meaning mnemonic

The shape 尺 looks like a hand holding a ruler: the top 尸 is the arm and hand, and the bottom 丶 is the mark being measured. Picture a hand measuring a length of cloth with a ruler.

Reading mnemonic

For シャク, imagine a shack (shack -> シャク) built with precise measurements using a Japanese foot ruler. The carpenter measures every beam with a 尺.