斤 meaning and stroke order
Catty; (PRC) weight equal to 500 g; (Tw) weight equal to 600 g
How to write 斤, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 斤
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- catty
- (PRC) weight equal to 500 g
- (Tw) weight equal to 600 g
- (HK, Malaysia, Singapore) slightly over 604 g
How 斤 is built
Components of the character.
How to remember 斤
斤 began as a picture of an axe, and you can still see a slanted blade on top with a handle running down. Picture an old merchant using a heavy axe head as a weight on his scale, and you have 斤 (jīn), a unit of weight.
In daily life 斤 is the everyday unit for buying food at markets in mainland China, where one 斤 equals 500 grams. For official or scientific weights people use 公斤 (gōngjīn), the kilogram. Example: 苹果多少钱一斤？(Píngguǒ duōshao qián yì jīn?) How much are the apples per jin?
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 斤 with 近 (jìn, near) or 听 (tīng, listen), which both contain 斤 but have different meanings and sounds. Also remember that one 公斤 is two 斤, so asking for 一公斤 gets you twice as much as 一斤.
Common words with 斤
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
斤 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 斤
Learning 斤 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 斤
How many strokes are in 斤?
斤 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斤 mean?
斤 (jīn) means catty; (PRC) weight equal to 500 g; (Tw) weight equal to 600 g. A common word with it is 公斤 (gōngjīn), meaning "kilogram (kg)".
How do you pronounce 斤?
斤 is pronounced jīn, in the first tone (high and level).
Is 斤 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 斤 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Is a 斤 the same weight everywhere?
No. In mainland China one 斤 is 500 grams, in Taiwan it is 600 grams, and in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore it is slightly over 604 grams. Check where you are shopping.
Why does 千斤顶 mean a car jack?
千斤 (qiānjīn) literally means a thousand jin, a way of saying very heavy. 顶 (dǐng) means to prop up, so a 千斤顶 is a tool that props up something very heavy.