Usage patterns 〈 数かず 〉 メートル 走はし る to run ... meters
He ran 100 meters in 11 seconds.
〈 場ば 所しょ 〉 まで 〈 数かず 〉 メートル ... meters to (a place)
It's another 500 meters to the station.
〈 物もの 〉 は 〈 数かず 〉 メートルある (something) measures ... meters
This bridge is 200 meters long.
Kanji 突 stab, protruding, thrust Related words メートル is the metric unit of length used in everyday Japanese life, while ヤード is the imperial unit mainly seen in sports, textiles, or foreign contexts.
メートル is the metric unit of length used in everyday Japanese, while フィート is the imperial unit mainly seen in contexts like aviation, mountaineering, or American measurements.
尺 is the old Japanese unit of length still used in trades like carpentry and kimono-making, while メートル is the modern metric unit used in everyday and scientific contexts.
Don't confuse with メートル is the metric unit of length, while メーター is the everyday word for a gauge or measuring instrument (e.g. a taxi meter), even though both can sound alike in casual speech.
キロメートル equals 1,000 メートル , so learners sometimes mix up the two units; メートル is the base unit while キロメートル is a multiple of it.
ミリメートル is a thousandth of a メートル , and beginners sometimes confuse the two when converting units.
センチメートル (1/100 of a meter) is often confused with メートル itself when converting units.
Written forms メートル Usage 100%
Standard katakana spelling; usually written in kana.
米めーとる Usage <1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage) rarely-used kanji form
Rare ateji spelling for the length unit; easily confused with 米 read こめ or べい , so learners should normally use メートル .
米突めーとる Usage <1%
ateji (phonetic kanji usage) rarely-used kanji form
Rare ateji spelling for the length unit, mainly of historical or dictionary interest.
Etymology Borrowed from French mètre. The rare kanji spellings 米 and 米突 are ateji used for their sound rather than for their usual meanings.
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