Traditional Japanese unit of length, still used in contexts like carpentry, kimono tailoring, and traditional measurements.
The carpenter measured this piece of wood in shaku.
The length of this pillar is 6 shaku 3 sun.
Refers to a measuring tool (ruler, tape measure) or the abstract concept of length/measure. Often used in set phrases like 尺を当てる (measure with a ruler) or 尺が足りない (not long enough).
I placed a ruler against the cloth to measure its length.
This board isn't long enough, so let's look for another one.
尺 is a much smaller traditional unit (about 30.3 cm) used for cloth, boards, and short lengths, while 尋 (about 1.8 m) is used for measuring water depth or rope.
寸 is a small traditional unit of length (about 3.03 cm), while 尺 is a much larger traditional unit (about 30.3 cm, equal to ten 寸), so learners often mix up which one is meant.
criterion; standard; measure; index · length; dimensions; size · measuring rule; scale
reduced scale; scale ratio; map or drawing scale · scale down; draw at a reduced scale
one shaku; approx. 30 cm
3 shaku (approx. 90.9 cm); waistband; belt; cloth girdle
six feet · traditional Japanese G-string for men · palanquin bearer
winter moth
vernier scale
Zhou shaku; Zhou foot (approx. 20 cm)
Tang shaku (approx. 29.6 cm)
Standard kanji form for all senses.
The kanji 尺 originally depicted a hand span, representing a unit of length. The reading しゃく is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi.
large shaku (approx. 35.6 cm)
length; measure · short length
small shaku (approx. 29.6 cm)