Burmese system of measurement
Myanmar (also Burma or Burma) is one of three countries in the world that have not yet officially introduced the metric system of measurement . According to Cardelli (2004), the units described here were used before 1920 and are now obsolete. In practice, the traditional units are used alongside the metric (especially in science, technology) and some units from the Anglo-American measurement system ( Furlong and Acre in agriculture and the inch and the Cubit are 1: 1 compatible).
Since Burma itself has different pronunciations depending on the dialect and there are no official transcription rules, there are several, sometimes very different, spellings in the Latin alphabet for different units, as with the country name.
Color legend:
Current
length
unit | Palgat |
Cubit Tendam Taim |
King's Cubit Saundog Saundaum Saundang Sandong |
Lan | Dha | Oke thapal | Dain |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Dain | 1 | ||||||
= Oke thapal | 1 | 50 | |||||
= Dha | 1 | 20th | 1,000 | ||||
= Lan | 1 | 7/4 | 35 | 1,750 | |||
= Sanding | 1 | 4th | 7th | 140 | 7,000 | ||
= Taim | 1 | 11/9 | 44/9 | 77/9 | 1,540 / 9 | 77,000 / 9 | |
= Palgat | 1 | 18th | 22nd | 88 | 154 | 3,080 | 154,000 |
UN 1966 | 2.54 cm 1 in. |
45.72 cm 18 in. |
55.88 cm 22 in. |
2.2352 m 7 ft 4 in. |
3.9116 m 12 ft 10 in. |
78.232 m 256 ft 8 in. |
3.912 km 2 31 ⁄ 72 miles |
surface
Either Metric or English (Imperial).
volume
unit | Lamyet | Lamay Lamany |
Zalay | Byee | Zayoot | since | Kwai |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Kwai | 1 | ||||||
= Since | 1 | 2 | |||||
= Zayoot | 1 | 2 | 4th | ||||
= Byee | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | |||
= Zalay | 1 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 32 | ||
= Lamany | 1 | 2 | 8th | 16 | 32 | 64 | |
= Lamyet | 1 | 2 | 4th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 128 |
UN 1966 | 31.5625 ml | 63.125 ml | 126.25 ml | 505 ml | 1.010 L. | 2.02 l | 4.04 l |
unit | Nozibu Lame |
Sale | Khwet | Pyi | since | (small tin) Khwe |
Tin Tin-han Basket Thamardi tinn |
Bag |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Bag | 1 | |||||||
= Thamardi tinn | 1 | 3 | ||||||
= Kwhe | 1 | 2 | 6th | |||||
= Since | 1 | 2 | 4th | 12 | ||||
= Pyi | 1 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 48 | |||
= Khwet | 1 | 2 | 8th | 16 | 32 | 96 | ||
= Sale | 1 | 2 | 4th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 192 | |
= Lame | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 32 | 64 | 128 | 384 |
Definition from 1939 | 90 Imp.fl.dr. | 180 Imp.fl.dr. | 9 Imp.gill | 9 Imp.cup | 18 imp.pt | 18 Imp.qt | 9 Imp.gal. | 27 Imp.gal. |
UN 1966 | 319.6 ml | 639.3 ml | 1.279 L. | 2.557 L. | 10.229 L. | 20.457 L. | 40.91481 L. | 122.74 l |
Human Rights Yearbook 2005 For rice and condensed milk ??? |
? ~ 250 ml | ? 4 l |
- The term basket ("basket") was introduced by the English and is a translation of the Burmese term tinn or thamardi tinn . With the Measuring Baskets Standardization Act (No. I) of 1939, the basket was defined as 9 imperial gallons. It is noteworthy that the imperial gallon is a measure of liquid. So a Burmese dry measure was defined by a British liquid measure!
- Khwe means half, so half of a Thamardi tinn .
- In Nozibu means nozi condensed milk and bu can. The name canned milk comes from the amount of unpeeled rice that fits into a Milkmaid brand milk can (14 oz. ).
Dimensions
unit | Ywegale Ruay Rweh |
Beh Pai Pe |
Mjuh Muju Moo Mu |
Match mat |
Ngamu |
Kyat Kyat tha Tikal Tical |
Pehtha Peik thar Peiktha Vis Viss |
Kandi Kandy Candy |
Pyi (for rice) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Candy | 1 | ||||||||
= Viss | 1 | 150 | |||||||
= Tical | 1 | 100 | 15,000 | ||||||
= Ngamu | 1 | 2 | 200 | 30,000 | |||||
= Mat | 1 | 2 | 4th | 400 | 60,000 | ||||
= Mu | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 800 | 120,000 | |||
= Pe | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 1,600 | 240,000 | ||
= Rweh | 1 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 6,400 | 960,000 | |
UN 1966 | 0.2551 g | 1.021 g | 2.04 g | 4.08 g | 8.165 g | 16.33 g | 1.633 kg | 244.95 kg | |
UN 1955 (prov.) Tenasserim Devision 2002 |
≈2 (, 127) kg |
Kyat is also the unit of currency. In the western world the names Tical and Viss are often used, these are also the units most often used in exchange.
Historical
Length - historical
unit | Palgat |
Cubit Tendam Taim |
Sandong | Lan | Dha (bamboo) |
Oke thapal | Dain |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Dain | 1 | ||||||
= Oke thapal | 1 | 50 | |||||
= Dha | 1 | 20th | 1000 | ||||
= Lan | 1 | 4 ⁄ 7 | 35 | 1750 | |||
= Sanding | 1 | 4th | 7th | 140 | 7000 | ||
= Taim | 1 | 11 ⁄ 9 | 44 ⁄ 9 | 77 ⁄ 9 | 1540 ⁄ 9 | 77000 ⁄ 9 | |
= Palgat | 1 | 9 ⁄ 2 | 11 ⁄ 2 | 22nd | 77 ⁄ 2 | 770 | 38500 |
Cardarelli 2004? | 0.1016 m | 0.4572 m | 0.5588 m | 2.2352 m | 3.9116 m | 78.232 m | 3911.6 m |
UN 1966 | 4 in. |
18 in. |
22 in. 55.88 cm |
88 in. 7 ft 4 in. |
154 in. 12 ft 10 in. |
3080 in. 256 ft 8 in. |
154000 in. 2 31 ⁄ 72 miles |
Palgat: be careful! Same name, but different division than today.
Small dimensions | Distance measures | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
unit | Thit | Mak | Twah | King's Cubit Taong Saundog Saundaum Saundang Sandong Taong |
Lan | Bamboo ta² Dha Cole |
Mat (19th century) |
Tehng Taing Tang Dain Theng |
Theet Thit |
= Theng | 1 | ||||||||
= Mat | 1 | 4th | |||||||
= Cole | 1 | 250 | 1000 | ||||||
= Lan | 1 | 7/4 | 875/2 | 1,750 | |||||
= Taong / sanding | 1 | 4th | 7th | 1,750 | 7,000 | ||||
= Twah | 1 | 2 | 8th | 14th | 3,500 | 14,000 | |||
= Mak | 1 | 1½ | 3 | 12 | 21st | 5,250 | 21,000 | ||
= Thit | 1 | 8th | 12 | 24 | 96 | 168 | 42,000 | 168,000 | |
Trapp 1992 (1st half of the 19th century) | 2.020729 cm | 16.16583 cm | 24.24875 cm | 48.4975 cm | 193.99 cm | 3.39486 m | 848.715 m | 3394.86 m | |
Chaney 1897 | 1/4 dain | ||||||||
Simmonds 1892 | 23.28 mm |
Volume - historically
unit | Lamyet | Lamay Lamany |
Zalay | Byee | Zayoot | since | Kwai |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Kwai | 1 | ||||||
= Since | 1 | 2 | |||||
= Zayoot | 1 | 2 | 4th | ||||
= Byee | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | |||
= Zalay | 1 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 32 | ||
= Lamany | 1 | 2 | 8th | 16 | 32 | 64 | |
= Lamyet | 1 | 2 | 4th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 128 |
UN 1955 (prov.) | 31.83 ml | 63.65 ml | 126.2 ml | 504.6 ml | 2.021 L. | 4.040 l | |
UN 1966 | 31.5625 ml | 63.125 ml | 126.25 ml | 505 ml | 1.010 L. | 2.02 l | 4.04 l |
Cardarelli 2004 | 63.125 * 10 −6 m 3 | 0.505 * 10 −3 m 3 | 0.404 * 10 −3 m 3 | ||||
Simmonds 1892 | 2 imp.pk. (= 18.18 l) |
||||||
Ireland 1907 | "9 hkwain" = 1 Imp.bsh. (= 36.37 l → 1 hkwain = 4.04 l) |
unit | Nozibu Lame |
Sale | Khwet | Pyi | since | Khwe |
Basket Thamardi tinn |
Bag |
Teng (20th century) |
Coyan Koyan (19th century) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Koyan | 1 | |||||||||
= Teng | 1 | 100 | ||||||||
= Bag | 1 | 8 / 27 | 800 / 27 | |||||||
= Thamardi tinn | 1 | 3 | 8 / 9 | 800 / 9 | ||||||
= Kwhe | 1 | 2 | 6th | 16 / 9 | 1600 / 9 | |||||
= Since | 1 | 2 | 4th | 12 | 32 / 9 | 3200 / 9 | ||||
= Pyi | 1 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 48 | 128 / 9 | 12800 / 9 | |||
= Khwet | 1 | 2 | 8th | 16 | 32 | 96 | 256 / 9 | 25600 / 9 | ||
= Sale | 1 | 2 | 4th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 192 | 512 / 9 | 51200 / 9 | |
= Lame | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 32 | 64 | 128 | 384 | 1024 / 9 | 102400 / 9 |
UN 1955 (prov.) | 2 1/4 Imp.gi. | 1 1/8 Imp.pt. | 1 1/8 Imp.qt. | 2 1/4 imp.qt. | 1 1/8 Imp.pk. | 2 1/4 imp.pk. | 9 Imp.gal. (= 2496.8 inch³ ) |
27 Imp.gal. | ||
UN 1966 | 9 Imp.gal. | |||||||||
sizes.com | 1 Imp.bsh. 8 Imp.gal. |
100 Imp.bsh. | ||||||||
liter | 319.6 ml | 639.3 ml | 1.279 L. | 2.557 L. | 10.229 L. | 20.457 L. | 40.915 L. | 122.74 l | 36.37 l | 3636.87 L. |
Simmonds 1892 | 2218.19 in³ |
- The basket (“rice basket”) was introduced by the English in the 19th century and is a translation of the Burmese term tinn or thamardi tinn . Each area used to have its size and it was not until the Measuring Baskets Standardization Act (No. I) of 1939 that the basket was defined as 9 imperial gallons.
The basket was also previously described as a unit of weight, see below.
Mass - historically
unit | Ywegale Ruay Rweh |
Ywegi (20th century) |
Beh Pai Pe |
Mjuh Muju Moo Mu |
Match Mat (Mat'hs) |
Ngamu |
Kyat Kyat tha Tikal Tical |
Kati Catty |
Pehtha Peik thar Peiktha Vis Viss |
Kandi Kandy Candy |
Pyi (rice) |
Teng (rice 20th century ) |
Basket (rice) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
= Candy | 1 | ||||||||||||
= Viss | 1 | 150 | (Dour.) 16 | ||||||||||
= Catty | 1 | 3 | 450 | ||||||||||
= Tical | 1 | 100/3 | 100 | 15,000 | |||||||||
= Ngamu | 1 | 2 | 200/3 | 200 | 30,000 | ||||||||
= Mat | 1 | 2 | 4th | 400/3 | 400 | 60,000 | |||||||
= Mu | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 800/3 | 800 | 120,000 | ||||||
= Pe | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 1,600 / 3rd | 1,600 | 240,000 | |||||
= Ywegi | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 32 | 3,200 / 3 | 3,200 | 480,000 | ||||
= Rweh | 1 | 2 | 4th | 8th | 16 | 32 | 64 | 6,400 / 3rd | 6,400 | 960,000 | |||
Kelly 1835 | 500 lb (226.796 kg) |
||||||||||||
Doursther 1840 | ~ 240 mg | 0.472 g | 0.94 g | 1.89 g | 3.78 g | 7.56 g | 15.12 g | 503.93 g | 1,511.8 g | 226.77 kg | 53 1/3 av. Lb (24.2 kg) |
||
Carnation crusher 1890, on sale at the time |
58.4 lb (26.5 kg) often ½ cwt.l. (25.4 kg) |
||||||||||||
Carnation crusher 1890 Ireland 1907 Trapp 1992 (for the first half of the 19th century) |
~ 260 mg | 0.517 g | 1.03 g | 2.07 g | 4.14 g | 8.28 g | 16.56 g | 551.87 g | 1,655.6 g | 248.340 kg | |||
UN 1955 (prov.) | 16.239 g | 2.127 kg | |||||||||||
UN 1966 | 0.2551 g | 0.5103 g | 1.021 g | 2.04 g | 4.08 g | 8.165 g | 16.33 g | ~ 1.2 lb. 544.3 g |
1.633 kg |
244.95 kg |
|||
Cardarelli 2004 | 0.255 g | 0.51 g | 1.02 g | 2.04 g | 4.08 g | 8.31 g | 16.32 g | 0.544 kg | 1.632 kg | 244.8 kg | |||
Sukhothai - bullet money 13th century | 13-15 g | ||||||||||||
Ayutthaya - ball money 15.-18. Century | 12.5-15.7 g | ||||||||||||
Thailand today | 12.244 g | ||||||||||||
Akjab City | 23 lb (10.4 kg) |
||||||||||||
City of Pathein | 51 lb (23.1 kg) |
||||||||||||
Mawlamyaing City | 48 lb (21.8 kg) |
||||||||||||
City of Yangon | 48–50 lb (21.8–22.7 kg) |
- Doursther describes the Moo as a unit for precious metals with 1 tical = 100 Moo, whereas Clove Crusher writes that there is no separate weight system for precious metals in Rangoon .
- In the UN manual, the candy is listed as 18,000 pounds (8,165 kg). However, this does not fit into the system, is inconsistent with the surrounding countries and also contradicts earlier information, such as Kelly from 1835, who describes it as 500 pounds (227 kg).
- In 1892 Simmonds describes a basket with 2218.19 inch³, which holds the following: 48 1/4 lb paddy (unpeeled rice, 21.9 kg), 57 1/2 lb cargo rice (cargo rice, 26.1 kg) or 62 lb cleaned rice (cleaned rice, 28.1 kg).
Other historical and mystical weight units
Adenanthera pavonina (red sandalwood) seed | great ruay | ≈250 mg |
Abrus precatorius seed (pea pea) | little ruay | ≈100 mg |
Grain of rice | ||
Sesame grain | ||
Mustard seed | ||
Louse head | ||
Grain of dust | ||
Sunstroke | 36 Parama-nu-myu | |
Parama-nu-myu | atom |
The seeds of the two plants have a relatively constant weight which is kept for several months. The paternoster pea was also used in India to weigh gold. Very small units are only perceived by nats (ghosts), demons and gods.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ CIA : The World Factbook , Appendix G - Weights and Measures , Version: February 21, 2008
- ↑ Cardarelli 2004, on the back pages with the alphabetical list of units, no page number
- ↑ a b c d e f g h United Nations. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Statistical Office of the United Nations: World Weights and Measures. Handbook for Statisticians. Statistical Papers. Series M no.21 Revision 1. (ST / STAT / SER.M / 21 / rev.1) , United Nations, New York 1966
- ↑ HUMAN RIGHTS YEARBOOK 2003 - Burma , Chapter 4. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment , 2003-04, burmalibrary.org
- ↑ tin , sizes.com
- ^ Burma - units of dry capacity , sizes.com
- ^ National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma - Human Rights Documentation Unit: HUMAN RIGHTS YEARBOOK 2005, Burma , Chapter: Acronyms and Abbreviations , burmalibrary.org
- ↑ basket , sizes.com
- ↑ WW Dalziel: British India in: Journal of Comparative Legislation and International Law , Third Series, vol. 23, no. 2/3, 1941, pp. 124-138
- ↑ khwe ( Memento of the original from January 4, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , sizes.com
- ↑ nozibu , sizes.com
- ^ University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. Historical Society (ed.): Jernal sejarah (1961-1966), v.7-11, 1972, p. 50
- ↑ Siok Hwa Cheng: The rice industry of Burma, 1852-1940 , University of Malaya Press, 1968, p 54
- ^ Jacques Ivanoff: Rings of coral: Moken folktales , White Lotus Press, 2001, ISBN 974-7534-71-1 , p. 452
- ↑ JL Maclean, DC Dawe, B. Hardy, GP Hettel: Rice Almanac. 3rd edition , IRRI, 2002, p. 246
- ↑ a b c d United Nations. Statistical Office of the United Nations in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: World Weights and Measures. Handbook for Statisticians. Provisional Edition , Statistical Papers. Series M no.21, United Nations, New York 1955
- ^ Tenasserim Devision: Monthly Human Rights Situation Report - Mergui-Tavoy District Information Department, Karen National Union , January 2002, burmalibrary.org
- ↑ Win Nyunt Lwin: Dried fish and prawns an affordable luxury ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , The Myanmar Times, Volume 9, No.177, 4-10. August 2003
- ↑ KHRG Photo Gallery: 2005 ( Memento of the original dated November 23, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Karen Human Rights Group, April 6, 2006
- ^ A b c d François Cardarelli: Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their SI Equivalences and Origins , 2nd edition, Springer, 2004, ISBN 1-85233-682-X , "3.5.2.4.6.3 Old Burmese Units of Weight "," 3.5.2.4.6.1 Old Burmese Units of Length "," 3.5.2.4.6.2 Old Burmese Units of Capacity "
- ↑ a b Wolfgang Trapp : Small handbook of dimensions, numbers, weights and the calculation of time , Komet MA-Service und Verlagsgesellschaft, Frechen 1998 (original publisher: Philipp Reclam jun. GmbH & Co, Stuttgart 1992), ISBN 3-89836-198-5 , P. 243, "Table 6.3.4-1: Non-European units of length and area in the first half of the 19th century"; P. 250, "Table 6.3.4-3: Non-European units of measurement (weights) in the 1st half of the 19th century"
- ^ Henry J. Chaney: Our Weights and Measures. A Practical Treatise on the Standard Weights and Measures in use in the British Empire ... , Eyre and Spottiswoode, London 1897, p. 40
- ^ A b c d e f P [eter] L [and] Simmonds: The Commercial Dictionary of Trade Products, Manufacturing and Technical Terms, Moneys, Weights, and Measures of all Countries. New edition revised and enlarged, George Routledge and Sons, London 1892, Ruay: p. 489; Basket: p. 431; Kwai: p. 467; Thit: p. 377
- ↑ a b Alleyne Ireland: The Province of Burma. vol II. Colonial Administration in the Far East. , Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston 1907, Units of Mass & Kwai: p. 842
- ↑ a b coyan or koyan , sizes.com
- ↑ a b c d e f teng , sizes.com
- ^ Burma - units of dry capacity , sizes.com
- ↑ basket , sizes.com
- ↑ WW Dalziel: British India in: Journal of Comparative Legislation and International Law , Third Series, vol. 23, no. 2/3, 1941, pp. 124-138
- ↑ JL Maclean, DC Dawe, B. Hardy, GP Hettel: Rice Almanac. 3rd edition , IRRI, 2002, p. 246
- ↑ P [atrick] Kelly: The Universal Cambist and Commercial Instructor: Being a full and accurate treatise on the exchanges, coins, weights, and measures, of all trading nations and their colonies , Second Edition, with supplements, Longman and Co., London 1835
- ↑ Horace Doursther: Dictionnaire universel des poids et mesures anciens et modern, contenat des tables des monnaies de tous les pays , M. Hayez, Imprimeur de l'Académie Royale, Brussels 1840; Reprint as facsimile by Meridian Publishing Company, Amsterdam 1965; Mass measurements: p. 581; Basket: p. 51
- ↑ a b J. C. Nelkenbrecher: Paperback for merchants , 20th edition, revised by Dr. Ernst Jerusalem, printed and published by Georg Reimer, Berlin 1890, dimensions: p. 724, basket: p. 723
- ↑ a b c d Bernhard Peter: Opiumweichte from Burma , 2004 & 2005, accessed: April 23, 2009
- ↑ Technical Conversion Factors for Agricultural Commodities: Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1972 , 1972, p. 120
- ↑ P [atrick] Kelly: The Universal Cambist and Commercial Instructor: Being a full and accurate treatise on the exchanges, coins, weights, and measures, of all trading nations and their colonies. Second Edition, with supplements, Longman and Co., London 1835
- ↑ a b Ruay , sizes.com
- ↑ Sun dust . In: Heinrich August Pierer , Julius Löbe (Hrsg.): Universal Lexicon of the Present and the Past . 4th edition. tape 16 . Altenburg 1863, p. 288 ( zeno.org ).