亩

• Pinyin: mǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 亩 = 田(field) + 十(ten) + 囗(enclosure) — a measured, enclosed plot of farmland

Meaning

Mu; a traditional Chinese unit of land area equal to approximately 667 square metres (one-fifteenth of a hectare).

The standard land measurement unit in Chinese agriculture. Still widely used in rural China and land policy documents. Appears in agricultural output statistics, land reform discussions, and rural life narratives.

Examples

1. 这个村庄共有耕地三百亩，主要种植水稻和小麦。 This village has three hundred mu of farmland, mainly planted with rice and wheat.
2. 土地改革之后，每户农民分到了几亩田地，生活得到了基本保障。 After land reform, each farming household received a few mu of land, providing a basic livelihood.
3. 政府宣布今年粮食总产量创下每亩平均产量的历史新高。 The government announced that this year’s total grain output set a new historical record for average yield per mu.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, land policy, rural life

Tone: practical/technical

Do Say

• 这片土地面积约为五十亩，非常适合开发成规模化有机农场。(This piece of land is about fifty mu in area, very suitable for developing into a large-scale organic farm.)
• 按照现行政策，每亩耕地的农业补贴标准已经相应有所提高。(According to current policy, the agricultural subsidy standard per mu of cultivated land has been correspondingly raised.)

Don't Say

• 把'亩'用于建筑物或室内面积 (亩 is used for land area, especially agricultural land — for buildings or indoor spaces, use 平方米 instead)

Origin & History

Ancient character. 田(field) + enclosure components. Has been used as a standard land measure since antiquity in Chinese agricultural society.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Rural/Universal