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Historical Russian units of measurement

{{Short description|Traditional system of measurement used in Imperial Russia}}{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

File:Obsolete Russian units of length - ru.svg

Historical Russian units of measurement were standardized and used in the Russian Empire and after the Russian Revolution, but were abandoned after 21 July 1925, when the Soviet Union adopted the metric system.

The Tatar system is very similar to the Russian one, but some names are different.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The Polish system is also very close to the Russian system.

The system existed since Kievan Rus', but under Peter the Great, the Russian units were redefined relative to the English system.Шостьин Н. А. Очерки истории русской метрологии XI – начала XX века. М.: 1975. The system also used Cyrillic numerals until the 18th century, when Peter the Great replaced it with the Hindu–Arabic numeral system.

Length

The basic unit was the Russian ell, called the arshin, which came into use in the 16th century. It was standardized by Peter the Great in the 18th century to measure exactly twenty-eight English inches ({{convert|28|in|cm|2|abbr=on|disp=output only}}). Thus, 80 vershoks = 20 pyad's = 5 arshins = 140 English inches ({{convert|140|in|cm|2|abbr=on|disp=output only}}).{{cite book|author=Cardarelli, F.|year=2004|title=Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their SI Equivalences and Origins|publisher=Springer|edition=2nd|pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000card/page/120 120]–124|isbn=1-85233-682-X|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000card|url-access=registration}}

A pyad' ({{lang|ru|пядь}}, "palm", "five") or chyetvyert' ({{lang|ru|че́тверть}}, "quarter") is a hand span, the distance between ends of the spread thumb and index finger.{{cn|reason= A citation is needed generally, but specifically to confirm that the span is thumb to index finger, and not thumb to little finger.|date=November 2022}}

class="wikitable"

! colspan=3 | Unit

! rowspan=3 | Ratio

! rowspan=3 | Metric
value

! rowspan=3 | English value

colspan=2 | Russian

! rowspan=2 | Translation

Cyrillic

! Transliteration

{{lang|ru|то́чка}}

| toch'ka

| point

| {{frac|1|2800}}

| 0.254 mm

| {{frac|1|100}} inch

{{lang|ru|ли́ния}}

| liniya

| line

| {{frac|1|280}}

| 2.54 mm

| {{frac|1|10}} inch; cf. line

{{lang|ru|дюйм}} (перст)

| dyuym (pyerst)

| inch (finger)

| {{frac|1|28}}

| 2.54 cm

| 1 inch

{{lang|ru|вершо́к}}

| vyershok

| tip, top

| {{frac|1|16}}

| 4.445 cm

| {{frac|1|3|4}} in; cf. 19" rack unit

{{lang|ru|ладонь}}

| ladon'

| palm

| {{frac|3|28}}

| 7.62 cm

| {{convert|7.62|cm|inch|frac=16|disp=out}}; cf. palm

{{lang|ru|пядь}}, {{lang|ru|че́тверть}}

| pyad', chyetvyert'

| quarter

| {{frac|1|4}}

| 17.78 cm

| 7 in; cf. span

{{lang|ru|фут}}

| fut

| foot

| {{frac|3|7}}

| 30.48 cm

| 1 ft

{{lang|ru|локоть}}

| lokot'

| elbow, ell/cubit

| {{frac|9|14}}

| 45.72 cm

| {{convert|45|cm|ft|frac=16|disp=out}}; cf. cubit/ell

{{lang|ru|шаг}}

| shag

| stride, step

| rowspan="2" | 1

| rowspan="2" | 71.12 cm

| cf. step

{{lang|ru|арши́н}}

| arshin

| yard

| {{frac|2|1|3}} ft

{{lang|ru|саже́нь}}, {{lang|ru|са́жень}}

| sazhen'

| fathom

| 3

| 2.1336 m

| 7 ft

{{lang|ru|верста́}}

| vyersta

| turn (of a plough)

| 1500

| 1.0668 km

| 3,500 ft

Alternative units:

  • Swung sazhen' ({{lang|ru|маховая сажень}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|makhovaya sazhen'}}, distance between tips of arms stretched sidewards) = 1.76 m
  • Skewed, or oblique sazhen' ({{lang|ru|косая сажень}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|kosaya sazhen'}}, distance between tip of a raised arm and a tip of an opposite leg slightly put away) = 2.48 m / 2.4892 m to be exact, since 1 kosaya sazhen' is equal to 3.5 arshins which is equal to 98 inches
  • Double vyersta or border vyersta, ({{lang|ru|межевая верста}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|mezhevaya vyersta}}), used to measure land plots and distances between settlements = 2 vyerstas (comes from an older standard for vyersta)

Area

  • Desyatina ({{lang|ru|десяти́на}}, "a tenth" or "ten"), approximately one hectare
  • Treasury/official desyatina ({{lang|ru|казённая десяти́на}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|kazyonnaya desyatina}}) = 10,925.4 m2 = 117,600 sq ft = 2.7 acres = 2,400 square sazhen'
  • Proprietor's ({{lang|ru|владе́льческая десяти́на}}, {{lang|ru-Latn|vladel'cheskaya desyatina}}) = 14,567.2 m2 = 156,800 sq ft = 3,200 square sazhen'
  • 3 proprietor's desyatinas = 4 official desyatinas
  • Sokha ({{lang|ru|соха}}, "big plow")

Volume

As in many ancient systems of measurement the Russian distinguishes between dry and liquid measurements of capacity. Note that the chyetvyert' appears in both lists with vastly differing values.

= Dry measures =

class="wikitable"

! Unit

! Russian

! Translation

! Ratio

! Cubic
inches
(exact)

! Metric
value

! Imperial
value

! U.S.
customary

chast'

| {{lang|ru|часть}}

| part

| {{frac|1|30}}

| {{frac|6|2|3}}

| 109.33 ml

| 4.380 fl oz

| 4.208 fl oz

kruzhka

| {{lang|ru|кру́жка}}

| mug

| {{frac|2|5}}

| 80

| 1.312 L

| 2.309 pints

| 2.773 pints

garnyec

| {{lang|ru|га́рнец}}

| pot

| 1

| 200

| 3.279842 L

| 5.772 pints

| 3.466 quarts

vyedro

| {{lang|ru|ведро́}}

| bucket

| 4

| 800

| 13.12 L

| 2.886 gal

| 3.466 gal

chyetvyerik

| {{lang|ru|четвери́к}}

| small quarter

| 8

| 1,600

| 26.239 L

| 2.886 pecks

| 2.978 pecks

os'mina

| {{lang|ru|осьми́на}}

| one-eighth

| 32

| 6,400

| 104.955 L

| 2.886 bushels

| 2.978 bushels

chyetvyert'

| {{lang|ru|че́тверть}}

| quarter

| 64

| 12,800

| 209.91 L

| 5.772 bushels

| 5.957 bushels

= Liquid measures =

class="wikitable"

! Unit

! Russian

! Translation

! Ratio

! Cubic
inches
(exact)

! Metric
value

! Imperial

! U.S.
Customary

shkalik

| {{lang|ru|шка́лик}}

| measure

|rowspan="2"| {{frac|1|200}}

|rowspan="2"| {{frac|3|3|4}}

|rowspan="2"| 61.5 ml

|rowspan="2"| 2.16 fl oz

|rowspan="2"| 2.08 fl oz

kosushka

| {{lang|ru|косу́шка}}

| shot

charka

| {{lang|ru|ча́рка}}

| wine glass

| {{frac|1|100}}

| {{frac|7|1|2}}

| 123 ml

| 4.33 fl oz

| 4.16 fl oz

butylka (vodochnaya)

| {{lang|ru|буты́лка}} ({{lang|ru|во́дочная}})

| bottle (vodka)

| {{frac|1|20}}

| {{frac|37|1|2}}

| 615 ml

| 1.08 pints

| 1.3 pints

butylka (vinnaya)

| {{lang|ru|буты́лка}} ({{lang|ru|ви́нная}})

| bottle (wine)

| {{frac|1|16}}

| {{frac|46|7|8}}

| 768.7 ml

| 1.35 pints

| 1.625 pints

kruzhka

| {{lang|ru|кру́жка}}

| mug

|rowspan="2"| {{frac|1|10}}

|rowspan="2"| 75

|rowspan="2"| 1.23 L

|rowspan="2"| 2.16 pints

|rowspan="2"| 1.3 quarts

shtof

| {{lang|ru|штоф}}

| flagon

chyetvyert

| {{lang|ru|че́тверть}}

| quarter

| {{frac|1|8}}

| {{frac|93|3|4}}

| 1.537 L{{cn|date=September 2024}}

| 2.70 pints

| 1.624 quarts

vedro

| {{lang|ru|ведро́}}

| bucket

| 1

| 750

| 12.29941 L

| 2.71 gal

| 3.249 gal

bochka

| {{lang|ru|бо́чка}}

| barrel

| 40

| 30,000

| 491.98 L

| 108.22 gal

| 129.967 gal

Weight/mass

Two systems of weight were in use, an ordinary one in common use, and an apothecaries' system.

=Ordinary system=

class="wikitable"

! Unit

! Russian

! Translation

! Ratio

! Metric value

! Avoirdupois value

dolya

| {{lang|ru|до́ля}}

| part, portion

| {{frac|1|9216}} = {{frac|1|962}}

| 44.435 mg

| 0.686 gr

zolotnik

| {{lang|ru|золотни́к}}

| "golden one"

| {{frac|1|96}}

| 4.26580 g

| 65.831 gr (0.152 oz)

lot

| {{lang|ru|лот}}

| borrowed German "Loth"

| {{frac|1|32}}

| 12.7974 g

| 0.451 oz

funt

| {{lang|ru|фунт}}

| pound

| 1

| 409.51718 g

| 14.445 oz (0.903 lb)

pood

| {{lang|ru|пуд}}

| borrowed Late Latin "pondo", from Classical "pondus"

| 40

| 16.3807 kg

| 36.121 lb

byerkovyec

| {{lang|ru|берковец}}

| probably from "Birka pood"

| 400

| 163.807 kg

| 361.206 lb (25.8 stone)

The pood was first mentioned in a number of documents of the twelfth century. {{citation needed|date=February 2014}} It may still be encountered in documents dealing with agricultural production (especially with reference to cereals), and has been revived in determining weights when casting bells in belfries following the rebirth of the Orthodox Churches in the former Soviet lands.

=Apothecaries' system=

The Imperial Russian apothecaries' weight was defined by setting the grain ({{langx|ru|гран}}) to be exactly seven-fifths of a dolya. The only unit name shared between the two was the funt (pound), but the one in the apothecaries' system is exactly seven-eighths of the ordinary funt.

class="wikitable"

! Unit

! Russian

! Translation

! Ratio

! Metric value

! Avoirdupois value

! Ordinary value

{{lang|ru-Latn|gran}}

| {{lang|ru|гран}}

| grain

| 1

| 62.210 mg

| 0.96004 gr

| 1.4 {{lang|ru-Latn|dolya}}

{{lang|ru-Latn|skrupul}}

| {{lang|ru|скрупул}}

| scruple

| 20

| 1.2442 g

| 19.201 gr

| 28 {{lang|ru-Latn|dolya}}

{{lang|ru-Latn|drakhma}}

| {{lang|ru|драхма}}

| dram

| 60

| 3.7326 g

| 57.602 gr

| {{frac|7|8}} {{lang|ru-Latn|zolotnik}}

{{lang|ru-Latn|unciya}}

| {{lang|ru|унция}}

| ounce

| 480

| 29.861 g

| 1.0533 oz or 460.82 gr

| 7 {{lang|ru-Latn|zolotnik}}

{{lang|ru-Latn|funt}}

| {{lang|ru|фунт}}

| pound

| 5760

| 358.328 g

| 12.640 oz or 5529.8 gr

| 84 {{lang|ru-Latn|zolotnik}}

Idiomatic expressions

The obsolete units of measurement survived in Russian culture in a number of idiomatic expressions and proverbs, for example:

  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Слышно за версту}}: (It) can be heard a verst away – about something very loud
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Бешеной собаке семь вёрст не крюк}}: 7 versts is not a detour for a mad dog – about excessive energy or hassle, usually ironical
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Милому дружку семь вёрст не околица}}: 7 versts is not too far for a darling friend
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Верста коломенская}}: Kolomna verst – about a very tall and slim person (in this case the reference is to the verst pole road mark: {{lang|ru-Latn|verstovoy stolb}})
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Косая сажень в плечах}}: A slanted sazhen in the shoulders – about a strong, wide-shouldered person
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Мерить всех на свой аршин}}: To gauge everybody by the same [literally: one's own] yardstick
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Проглотить аршин}}: To swallow an arshin (yardstick) – about standing very straight and still
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|От горшка два вершка}}: Two vershok above the pot – a very young child
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Сто пудов}}: a hundred poods – a very large amount. In modern colloquial Russian it is used in a generic meanings of "very much" and "very", as well as "most surely".English-Russian-English dictionary of slang, jargon and Russian names. 2012 The adjective {{lang|ru-Latn|stopudovy}} and the adverb {{lang|ru-Latn|stopudovo}} derive from this expression.
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Семь пядей во лбу}}: Seven pyad across the forehead – very smart
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Не семь пядей во лбу}}: Not seven pyad across the forehead – not so smart
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Мал золотник, да до́рог}}: A zolotnik is small, but expensive: when quality rather than quantity is important
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Идти семимильными шагами}}: To walk in 7-mile steps – any kind of very fast progress, e.g., of improvement
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Узнать, почём фунт лиха}}: To learn how much a pound of likho costs – to experience something bad
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Ни пяди земли (не уступить)}}: Do not give up (even) a pyad of land
  • {{lang|ru|italic=unset|Съесть пуд соли (вместе с кем-либо)}}: To eat a 'pood' of salt (with somebody) – to have a long common experience with somebody (with the implication "to know someone well")

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.academia.edu/10103740/Russian_system_of_measures_of_length_brief_description_ Russian system of measures of length (brief description)] by V. A. Belobrov
  • [https://www.academia.edu/9958464/The_role_of_Peter_the_Great_in_the_development_of_Russian_system_of_measures_of_length The role of Peter the Great in the development of Russian system of measures of length] by V. A. Belobrov

{{Systems of measurement}}

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Russian units of measurement

Category:History of science and technology in Russia

Category:Standards of Russia

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