expression, godan verb (-ru)
measure length; take a measurement
Used when physically measuring something with a ruler or tape measure. 尺 originally refers to a traditional Japanese foot (approx. 30.3 cm), but the expression is now used for measuring in general.
大工が材木の尺を取っている。
The carpenter is measuring the length of the lumber.
測る is a general verb for measuring length, area, or quantity. 尺を取る is a more specific expression that emphasizes using a ruler or scale to determine a linear dimension.
尺 (しゃく) is a traditional Japanese unit of length, and 取る (とる) means 'to take'. The phrase literally means 'to take a shaku measurement', but is now used more broadly for measuring length.