立方米

• Pinyin: lì fāng mǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 立 = 立 (upright); 方 = 方 (square); 米 = 米 (metre/rice — used phonetically for metre)

Meaning

Cubic metre; m³. The standard SI unit of volume, equal to the space occupied by a cube with sides of one metre.

Essential in professional and technical Chinese for expressing large volumes. Used in engineering, construction, water management, natural gas supply, and logistics. Often abbreviated informally as 立方 in spoken Chinese.

Examples

1. 这座水库的总蓄水量约为一亿立方米，是城市供水的重要来源。 The reservoir’s total storage capacity is about 100 million cubic meters, making it a key source of the city’s water supply.
2. 施工方估算整个地基工程需要挖掘约三千立方米的土方。 The contractor estimates the entire foundation project will require excavating about 3,000 cubic meters of earth.
3. 天然气公司按每立方米的单价向居民收取费用。 The natural gas company charges residents based on a per-cubic-meter rate.

Usage Guide

Context: engineering, construction, water management, gas supply, logistics

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这栋建筑的地下室总容积为五百立方米，可作为停车场使用。(The total volume of this building's basement is 500 cubic metres, which can be used as a car park.)
• 当地政府规定，每户家庭每月享有前五立方米天然气的补贴价格。(The local government stipulates that each household enjoys a subsidised price for the first five cubic metres of natural gas per month.)

Don't Say

• 将'立方米'与'平方米'混用 — 立方米是体积单位（三维），平方米是面积单位（二维），混用会造成严重的计算错误

Origin & History

立方 (cubic) + 米 (metre) — the cubic metre unit of volume

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal