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Ge (unit)

math Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Have you ever wondered how people measure liquids or grains? A ge is a traditional unit used in China. It is a way to measure volume. Volume tells us how much space something fills. One ge is equal to ten sheng. This unit helps people measure things fairly. It has been used for a very long time.

Masu, One-Gō measure
Masu, One-Gō measure

In China, the exact size of a ge changed. The Beiyang Government set a value in 1915. Later, a law in 1929 changed it again. This new law started on January 1, 1930. It made one ge equal to a deciliter. A deciliter is 0.1 liters. In 1959, the People's Republic of China kept this value. They called the deciliter a fēnshēng.

Masu, One-Gō measure
Masu, One-Gō measure

Korea also has a unit based on the ge. In Korea, this unit is called a hop. It is also known as doe or toe. The size of the hop has changed over time. During an occupation, Korea used Japanese measures. Today, one hop is 0.18 liters. This is the same size as the Japanese gō. Using it for business is against the law in South Korea.

Masu, One-Gō measure
Masu, One-Gō measure

In Japan, the unit is called a gō. It is often called a cup. One gō is about 180.4 milliliters. This is about 0.18 liters. People use it to measure rice or sake. You might find a small cup in a rice cooker. One gō of rice is about 150 grams. Sake bottles often hold about four gō.

Masu, One-Gō measure
Masu, One-Gō measure

The gō can be used in other ways too. It can measure an area called a tsubo. A tsubo is about 0.3306 square meters. Climbers in Japan use the name for mountains. They divide a mountain path into ten parts. Each part is called a gō. These parts act like stations on a trail. It is a very useful word for many things.

Masu, One-Gō measure
Masu, One-Gō measure
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