Qian (), called tsin (cin4) in Cantonese, tiền or đồng in Vietnamese, or "Chinese ounce" or "mace" in English, is a traditional Chinese unit for weight measurement. It originated in China before being introduced to neighboring countries in East Asia. Nowaday, the mass of 1 qian equals 5 grams in mainland China, 3.75 grams in Taiwan, Weights and Measures in Use in Taiwan from the Republic of China Yearbook – Taiwan 2001. 3.7799 grams in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, and 3.78 grams in Vietnam.

Qian is mostly used in the traditional markets, and famous for measuring gold, silver and Chinese medicines. 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , No. 180, pages 311 to 312

In Japan, the equivalent mass unit to the qian is the momme.

China Mainland

On June 25, 1959, the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued the "Order on the Unified Measurement System", retaining the market measure system, with minor amendment. + Table of mass units in the People's Republic of China since 1959PinyinCharacter 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , No. 180, page 316Relative valueMetric valueImperial valueNoteslí50 mgcashfēn500 mgcandareenqián5 g0.1764 ozmace or Chinese dramliǎng50 g1.764 oztael or Chinese ouncejīn1500 g1.102 lbcatty or Chinese pound formerly 16 liang = 1 jindàn10050 kg110.2 lbpicul or Chinese hundredweight

where 1 qian equals 5 grams, and 10 qiags equals 1 liang. The traditional Chinese medicine measurement system remains unchanged.

Taiwan In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan from China. The Japanese implemented the metric system, but the Taiwanese still followed their own habits and continued to use the old weights and measures of the Qing Dynasty. 1 Taiwan qian is equal to 3.75 grams, or 1/10 Taiwan liang.

+ Table of units of mass in TaiwanUnitRelative value Metric US & ImperialNotesTaiwanese HokkienHakkaMandarinCharacterLegalDecimalExactApprox. Lî Lî Lí   kg 37.5mg lb 0.5787grCash; Same as Japanese Rin Hun Fûn Fēn   kg 375mg lb 5.787grCandareen; Same as Japanese Fun Chîⁿ Chhièn Qián   kg 3.75g lb 2.116drMace; Same as Japanese Momme () Niú Liông Liǎng 1  kg 37.5g lb 21.16drTael Kin/Kun Kîn Jīn 16  kg 600g lb 1.323lbCatty; Same as Japanese Kin Tàⁿ Tâm Dàn 1600  60kg lb 132.3lbPicul; Same as Japanese Tan

Hong Kong and Macau Hong Kong and Macau mass units Currently, Hong Kong law stipulates that one qian is equal to 1/10 liang, which is 3.779936375 grams.

+ Table of Chinese mass units in Hong Kong and MacauLaw No. 14/92/M ( ; Lei n.o 14/92/M)JyutpingCharacterEnglishPortugueseRelative valueRelation to the Traditional Chinese Units (Macau)Metric valueImperial valueNotes lei4 li (cash) liz condorim fan1 fen (candareen, fan) condorim maz 0.2133 dr cin4 qian (mace, tsin) maz tael 2.1333 dr loeng2 liang (leung, tael) tael cate 1.3333 oz 604.78982/16=37.79936375 gan1 jin (gan, catty) cate 1 pico 604.78982 g 1.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition. daam3 dan (tam, dan) pico 100None 60.478982 kg 133.3333 lb Hong Kong and Macau share the definition.

Similarly, Singapore law stipulates that one qian equals 3.7799 g. Malaysia has the same regulations as it is a former British colony as well.

Hong Kong troy units These are used for trading precious metals such as gold and silver.

+ Table of mass (Hong Kong troy) unitsCap. 68 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCEEnglishCharacterRelative valueMetric valueImperial valueNotes fen (candareen) troy 374.29 mg 0.096 drt qian (mace) troy 3.7429 g 0.96 drt liang (tael) troy 1 37.429 g 1.2 ozt

Vietnam In Vietnam, the unit of qian is called "đồng or tiền": 1 đồng is equal to 3.78 grams or 10 phân by traditional value.

+ Early 20th-century units of weight Name in Chữ Quốc ngữ Hán/Nôm name Traditional value Traditional conversion Modern value Modern conversion tấn 擯 604.5 kg 10 tạ kg 10 tạ quân 302.25 kg 5 tạ 500 kg obsolete tạ 榭 60.45 kg 10 yến 100 kg 10 yến bình 30.225 kg 5 yến 50 kg obsolete yến 6.045 kg 10 cân 10 kg 10 cân cân 斤 604.5 g 16 lạng 1 kg 10 lạng nén 378 g 10 lạng lạng 兩 37.8 g 10 đồng 100 g đồng or tiền 錢 3.78 g 10 phân phân 分 0.38 g 10 ly ly or li 厘 37.8 mg 10 hào hào 毫 3.8 mg 10 ti ti 絲 0.4 mg 10 hốt hốt 忽 0.04 mg 10 vi vi 微 0.004 mg

For more information on the Chinese mass measurement system, please see article Jin (mass).

See also Chinese units of measurement Hong Kong units of measurement Taiwanese units of measurement Vietnamese units of measurement

Notes

References

External links 中國度量衡#衡 市制 錢 (質量單位)