量

• Pinyin: liáng
• Hanzi breakdown: 量 = 旦 (dawn/sun on horizon) + 里 (village/inside) — originally a pictograph of a measuring container

Meaning

To measure; to take measurements. The act of determining the size, length, weight, or amount of something.

When pronounced liáng, it functions as a verb meaning to measure or gauge. Common collocations: 量体温 (take temperature), 量身高 (measure height), 量尺寸 (take measurements). Not to be confused with the noun pronunciation liàng meaning quantity or capacity (e.g. 数量, 力量).

Examples

1. 护士先给我量了体温。 The nurse took my temperature first.
2. 买衣服之前最好先量一下尺寸。 Before buying clothes, it's best to take your measurements.
3. 妈妈用尺子量了桌子的长度。 Mum used a ruler to measure the length of the table.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, shopping, cooking, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请帮我量一下血压。(Please help me measure my blood pressure.)
• 做衣服之前要先量好尺寸。(Before making clothes, you need to take measurements first.)

Don't Say

• 我量了一下这个问题 (量 is for physical measurement, not for considering or weighing problems — use 考虑 for that)

Origin & History

The character 量 originally depicted a measuring vessel on a stand. It carries dual readings: liáng as a verb (to measure) and liàng as a noun (quantity, amount).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal