斤

• Pinyin: jīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 斤 — pictograph of an axe; later adopted as a unit of weight (500 grams)

Meaning

Jin; a Chinese unit of weight equal to 500 grams (about 1.1 pounds). The standard measure word for buying food by weight.

The most commonly used unit of weight in daily life for buying vegetables, fruit, and meat at markets. One 斤 equals 500 grams or half a kilogram. 公斤 (gōngjīn) is the word for kilogram.

Examples

1. 苹果多少钱一斤？ How much are apples per jin?
2. 请给我两斤西红柿。 Please give me two jin of tomatoes.
3. 这条鱼有三斤重。 This fish weighs three jin.

Usage Guide

Context: market, shopping, cooking

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 白菜两块钱一斤。(Chinese cabbage is two yuan per jin.)
• 我买了五斤米。(I bought five jin of rice.)

Don't Say

• 不要对外国人说斤而不解释 (When speaking with foreigners, clarify that 一斤 equals 500 grams — they may confuse it with 公斤 which is 1000 grams)

Origin & History

An ancient character originally depicting an axe. Its use as a unit of weight dates back to early Chinese measurement systems.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal