sheng (volume)
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The Chinese sheng ({{lang-zh|c=升|p=shēng}}), called sho in Japan and seung in Korea, also called Chinese liter, is a traditional unit of volume in East Asia. It originated from China and was later adapted by Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam and other areas.{{cite web |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/升 |title=升 (Sheng in China, sho in Japan and seung in Korea)|date=27 August 2024 }} One sheng equals 10 ge or 1/10 dou, though its specific capacity has varied by times and regions. Modernly, 1 sheng is 1 liter in China,{{Cite web|url=http://lis.ly.gov.tw/lghtml/lawstat/version2/01926/0192618020200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425025351/http://lis.ly.gov.tw/lghtml/lawstat/version2/01926/0192618020200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-04-25 |title=The Weights and Measures Act (1929) |publisher=Legislative Yuan |language=Chinese}}{{Cite book |last=Language Institute |first=Chinese Academy of Social Sciences |script-title= zh:现代汉语词典 (附錄：計量單位表) | trans-title= Contemporary Chinese Dictionary (Appendix: Measure units) |publisher=Commercial Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-7-100-12450-8 |edition=7th |location=Beijing |language=zh|page=1790}} 1.8039 liters in Japan and 1.8 liters in Korea.{{sfnp|Kim|2007}}
Sheng was a traditional measure for cereal grains. Now, like a liter, a sheng is more often used to measure liquid or gas.{{sfn|Language Institute|2016|p=1165}}
Ancient systems
File:两诏铜方升.jpg. On both sides are engraved the imperial edicts of the 26th year of the First Emperor and the first year of Qin II.]]
As a unit of volume, sheng appeared in the Warring States Period (c. 475 to 221 BC) of China and has remained in use ever since.{{cite web |title=Cambridge Dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/zhs/词典/汉语-简体-英语/升}}
| class="wikitable"
|+ History of volume measurement systems in China {{cite web | url=https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/中國度量衡#量 | title=中國度量衡 }}{{Circular reference|date=February 2025}}{{cite web |title=shēng [Chinese 升] |url=https://www.sizes.com/units/sheng.htm?form=MG0AV3 |publisher=Sizes}} | ||
| ----
! style="BACKGROUND: #efefef" | Dynasty ! style="BACKGROUND: #efefef" | Unit conversion ! style="BACKGROUND: #efefef" | Metric conversion (milliliters ml) | ||
| ----
| Warring States Period (戰國) | Qi (齊)：1 zhong (鍾)=10 fu (釜)；1釜=4 qu (區)；1區=4 dou (豆)；1豆=4 sheng (升) | | ||
| ----
| Qin (秦) | 1 hu (斛)=10 dou (斗)；1 斗=10 sheng (升) | 1斛=20000ml；1斗=2000ml；1升=200ml；Shang Yang's Reform (商鞅变法) 1 cubic sheng (方升)=201ml |
| ----
| Han (漢) | 1 hu (斛)=10 dou (斗)；1 斗=10 sheng (升)；1 升=10 ge (合)；1合=2 lun (龠)；1龠=5 cuo (撮)；1撮=4 gui (圭) | 1斛=20000；1斗=2000；1升=200；1合=20；1龠=10；1撮=2；1圭=0.5 | ||
| ---- | 1 hu (斛)=10 dou (斗)；1斗=10 sheng (升)；1升=10 ge (合)
| 1斛=20450；1斗=2045；1升=204.5；1合=20.45 | |
| ----
| Northern and Southern Dynasties (南北朝) | 1斛=10斗；1斗=10升；1升=10合
| 1斛=30000；1斗=3000；1升=300；1合=30 | |
| ----
| Sui (隋) | 1斛=10斗；1斗=10升；1升=10合
| Kaihuang (開皇)：1斛=60000；1斗=6000；1升=600；1合=60 Daye (大業)：1斛=20000；1斗=2000；1升=200；1合=20 | |
| ----
| Tang (唐) | 1斛=10斗；1斗=10升；1升=10合
| big (大)：1斛=60000；1斗=6000；1升=600；1合=60 small (小)：1斛=20000；1斗=2000；1升=200；1合=20 | |
| ----
| Song (宋) | 1 dan (石)=2 hu (斛)；1斛=5 dou (斗)；1斗=10 sheng (升)；1升=10 (合) | 1石=67000；1斛=33500；1斗=6700；1升=670；1合=67 | ||
| ----
| Yuan (元) | 1石=2斛；1斛=5斗；1斗=10升；1升=10合 | 1石=95000；1斛=47500；1斗=9500；1升=950；1合=95 | ||
| ----
| 1石=2斛；1斛=5斗；1斗=10升；1升=10合 | 1石=100000；1斛=50000；1斗=10000；1升=1000；1合=100 |
Modern systems
= China =
Sheng is the basic unit in the volume system promulgated by the Chinese government in 1915. One sheng (升) equals 1.0354688 liters.{{citation |contribution-url=http://gaz.ncl.edu.tw/eng/detail.jsp?sysid=D1500002 |contribution=權度法 [Quándù Fǎ] |title=政府公報 [Zhèngfǔ Gōngbào, Government Gazette] |location=Beijing |volume=957 |publisher=Office of the President |date=7 January 1915 |pages=85–94 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. {{in lang|zh}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Pinyin
!Character !Relative value !Metric value !US value !Imperial value !Notes |
|---|
| align=center|sháo
|align=right|{{lang|zh-hant|勺}} |align=right|{{frac|100}} |align=left|{{val|10.354688|u=mL}} |align=left|0.3501 fl oz |align=left|0.3644 fl oz |align=right| |
| align=center|gě
|align=right|{{lang|zh|合}} |align=right|{{frac|10}} |align=left|{{val|103.54688|u=mL}} |align=left|3.501 fl oz |align=left|3.644 fl oz |align=right| |
| align=center|shēng
|align=right|{{lang|zh|升}} |align=right|1 |align=left|{{val|1.0354688|ul=L}} |align=left|2.188 pt |align=left|1.822 pt |align=right| |
| align=center|dǒu
|align=right|{{lang|zh|斗}} |align=right|10 |align=left|{{val|10.354688|u=L}} |align=left|2.735 gal |align=left|2.278 gal |align=right| |
| align=center|hú
|align=right|{{lang|zh-hant|斛}} |align=right|50 |align=left|{{val|51.77344|u=L}} |align=left|13.68 gal |align=left|11.39 gal |align=right| |
| align=center|dàn
|align=right|{{lang|zh|石}} |align=right|100 |align=left|{{val|103.54688|u=L}} |align=left|27.35 gal |align=left|22.78 gal |align=right| |
The following table is based on the "Weights and Measures Acts" of the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929), which came into effect on January 1, 1930. The Chinese volume units listed in the "Chinese Name Plan for Unified Metric Units of Measurement" of the People's Republic of China in 1959 are Chinese dan, dou, sheng, and ge. The basic unit remains sheng, and one sheng is equal to one liter. The Chinese sheng is also called "市升" ("market sheng" or "market liter") to distinguish from the Chinese translation of "liter", which is called "公升", ("common sheng" or "common liter").{{in lang|zh}} [http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2011-11/09/content_1988933.htm 1959 Gazette of the State Council of the People's Republic of China], [http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/shuju/1959/gwyb195916.pdf No. 180], page 317
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| Pinyin
!Character !Relative value !Metric value !US value !Imperial value !Notes |
|---|
| align=center|cuō
|align=right|{{lang|zh-hant|撮}} |align=right|{{frac|1000}} |align=left|1 mL |align=left|0.0338 fl oz |align=left|0.0352 fl oz |align=right|millilitre |
| align=center|sháo
|align=right|{{lang|zh-hant|勺}} |align=right|{{frac|100}} |align=left|10 mL |align=left|0.3381 fl oz |align=left|0.3520 fl oz |align=right|centilitre |
| align=center|gě
|align=right|{{lang|zh|合}} |align=right|{{frac|10}} |align=left|100 mL |align=left|3.381 fl oz |align=left|3.520 fl oz |align=right|decilitre |
| align=center|shēng
|align=right|{{lang|zh|市升}} |align=right|1 |align=left|1 L |align=left|2.113 pt |align=left|1.760 pt |align=right|litre |
| align=center|dǒu
|align=right|{{lang|zh|市斗}} |align=right|10 |align=left|10 L |align=left|21.13 pt |align=left|17.60 pt |align=right|decalitre |
| align=center|dàn
|align=right|{{lang|zh|市石}} |align=right|100 |align=left|100 L |align=left|26.41 gal |align=left|22.0 gal |align=right|hectolitre |
Nowadays, like the unit of "liter", sheng is more often used to measure liquid or gas.
= Japan =
The base unit of volume in Japan is shō ({{zhi|升}}), i.e., the Japanese sheng. One sho equals 1.804 liters. Sake and shochu are both commonly sold in large 1800{{nbsp}}mL bottles known as {{nihongo|isshōbin|一升瓶}}, literally "one shō bottle".{{Cite web|url=https://www.urbansake.com/sake-101/sake-glossary/isshobin/|title=Isshobin {{pipe}} 一升瓶|website=UrbanSake.com}}
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|+ Table of volume units in Japan[https://books.google.com/books?id=kt9DIY1g9HYC&dq=%22conversion+coefficients+between+these+two%22&pg=PA2270 Iwata, Shigeo. "Weights and Measures in Japan"]{{citation |ref={{harvid|UN|1955}} |title=World Weights and Measures: Handbook for Statisticians |url = https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001478405 |series=ST/STAT/SER. M/21, UN Publication No. 1955.XVII.2 |publisher=Statistical Office of the United Nations |location = New York, NY |year = 1955 }} !colspan="2"|Unit !rowspan="2"|Shō !colspan="2"|Metric !colspan="2"|US !colspan="3"|Imperial |
| Romanized
!Exact !Approx. !Exact !Approx. !Exact !Approx. |
|---|
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Sai | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|才}} | rowspan=2 height="30pt"| {{frac|1000}} | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2401|1,331,000}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 1.804{{nbsp}}mL | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|37,515,625|15,900,351,812,136}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 29.28{{nbsp}}min | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|240,100|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 30.47{{nbsp}}min |
| style="text-align: right"
| 0.1101{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}in |
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Shaku | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|勺}} | rowspan=2 height="30pt"| {{frac|100}} | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2401|133,100}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 18.04{{nbsp}}mL | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|187,578,125|7,950,175,906,068}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 0.6100{{nbsp}}fl{{nbsp}}oz | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2,401,000|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 0.6349{{nbsp}}fl{{nbsp}}oz |
| style="text-align: right"
| 1.101{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}in |
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Gō | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|合}} | rowspan=2 height="30pt"| {{frac|10}} | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2401|13,310}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 180.4{{nbsp}}mL | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|937,890,625|3,975,087,953,034}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 0.3812{{nbsp}}pt | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|24,010,000|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 0.3174{{nbsp}}pt |
| style="text-align: right"
| 0.3276{{nbsp}}dry{{nbsp}}pt |
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Shō | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|升}} | rowspan=2 | 1 | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2401|1331}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 1.804{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|4,689,453,125|1,987,543,976,517}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 1.906{{nbsp}}qt | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|240,100,000|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 1.587{{nbsp}}qt |
| style="text-align: right"
| 1.638{{nbsp}}dry{{nbsp}}qt |
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | To | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|斗}} | rowspan=2 | 10 | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|24,010|1331}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 18.04{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|46,894,531,250|1,987,543,976,517}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 4.765{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|2,401,000,000|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 3.968{{nbsp}}gal |
| style="text-align: right"
| 2.048{{nbsp}}pk |
| style="text-align: right"
| rowspan=2 style="text-align:left;" | Koku | rowspan=2 align="center"| {{lang|ja|石}} | rowspan=2 | 100 | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|240,100|1331}}{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | 180.4{{nbsp}}L | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|468,945,312,500|1,987,543,976,517}}{{nbsp}}cu{{nbsp}}yd | 47.65{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | {{sfrac|24,010,000,000|605,084,579}}{{nbsp}}gal | rowspan=2 | 39.680{{nbsp}}gal |
| style="text-align: right"
| 5.119{{nbsp}}bu |
colspan="13" bgcolor=#F0F0F0|Notes:
|
=Korea=
The base unit of Korean volume is the doi, equal to the Korean sheng (seung, 승(升)).{{citation |last=Kim |first=Jun Hee |contribution=Taking Measure |title=Invest Korea Journal |volume=25 |date=March 2007 |location=Seoul |publisher=Korea Trade–Investment Promotion Agency }}
| class="wikitable"
|+ Table of volume units in Korea{{citation |title="Weights and Measures in East Asian Studies" |url = http://www.albany.edu/eas/205/weights%20and%20measures.pdf |publisher=State University of New York |location=Albany |last=Fessley |first=Susanna |year=2009 }}{{citation |ref={{harvid|NIKH|2017}} |year=2017 |contribution=Glossary of Korean History |title=Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty |contribution-url = http://esillok.history.go.kr/front/glossary/historicalTerms/HistoricalTermsList.do |url=http://esillok.history.go.kr/front/index.do |publisher=National Institute of Korean History |location=Seoul }} ! colspan="3" |Romanization ! rowspan="2" |Korean ! rowspan="2" |English ! colspan="3" |Equivalents |
| RR
!MR{{sfnp|Fessley|2009|p=9}} !Other !Other countries !Global |
|---|
| Jak
|Chak | |{{lang|ko|작}}({{lang|ko|勺}}) | |{{Frac|1|100}} | |{{Convert|18|mL|abbr=on}} |
| Hop
|Hop | |{{lang|ko|홉}} | |{{Frac|1|10}} |Ge |{{Convert|180|mL|abbr=on}}{{efn|name=imp|The variant figures in Fessley {{sfnp|Fessley|2009|p=9}} and the UN reports{{harvp|UN|1955|loc=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015030989050;view=1up;seq=91 III-59]}}. are based on the imperial measuring system.}} |
| Doe
|Toe |{{lang|ko|되}} | rowspan="2" |Korean Peck{{sfnp|NIKH|2017}} | rowspan="2" |1 | rowspan="2" | |
| Seung
|Sŭng | |{{lang|ko|승}}({{lang|ko|升}}) |
| Mal
|Mal | |{{lang|ko|말}} | rowspan="2" |Korean Bushel | rowspan="2" |10 | rowspan="2" | |
| Du
|Tu | |{{lang|ko|두}}({{lang|ko|斗}}) |
| Seom
|Sŏm | |{{lang|ko|섬}} | rowspan="3" |Korean Picul{{sfnp|NIKH|2017}} | rowspan="3" |100 | rowspan="3" |Picul |
| Seok
|Sŏk |{{lang|ko|석}}({{lang|ko|石}}) |
| Jeom
|Chŏm | |{{lang|ko|점}}({{lang|ko|苫}}) |
| Sogok
|Sogok | |{{lang|ko|소곡}}({{lang|ko|小斛}}) | rowspan="2" | | rowspan="2" |150 | rowspan="2" | | rowspan="2" |{{Convert|270|L|abbr=on}} |
| Pyeongseok
|P'yŏngsŏk | |{{lang|ko|평석}}({{lang|ko|平石}}) |
| Daegok
|Taegok | |{{lang|ko|대곡}}({{lang|ko|大斛}}) | rowspan="2" | | rowspan="2" |200 | rowspan="2" | | rowspan="2" |{{Convert|360|L|abbr=on}} |
| Jeonseok
|Chŏnsŏk | |{{lang|ko|전석}}({{lang|ko|全石}}) |
Sheng and Liter
The English "liter" is also called sheng (升) in China. In the cases where distinguishing is needed, word "liter" is translated into 公升 ("common sheng", or "common liter"), and the traditional Chinese sheng is called 市升 ("market sheng", or "market liter"), because it is more frequently used in the market. The shengs can also be distinguished by the regions they were defined, such as the "Chinese sheng", "Japanese shō", "Korean seung", "British liter", etc.
In China, one sheng is equal to one liter. Since the two units are of the same size, they are both called sheng in Chinese or "liter" in English for short when distinction is not necessary. In addition, the Chinese standard SI prefixes may be added to 升 (shēng) to form more units, such as 分升(fensheng, deciliter, dl), 厘升 (lisheng, centiliter, cl), 毫升 (haosheng, milliliter, cl).
See also
Notes
{{Notelist}}