铢 (zhū) - Zhu — an ancient Chinese unit of weight & a small amount of money

铢Tone 1

zhū ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

志

铢 · zhū

Zhu — an ancient Chinese unit of weight;

a small amount of money;

used in historical and literary contexts.

Zhu — an ancient Chinese unit of weighta small amount of moneyused in historical and literary contexts.

Usage highlights

Ancient weight unitZhu and LiangAccumulating zhu to form liangZhu currencyNot a single zhuZhu scale

Synonyms

  • 两— liang - a larger traditional weight unit
  • 分— fen - another small weight unit

Antonyms

  • 斤— jin - a much larger weight unit (catty)
  • 石— dan - a very large weight unit (picul)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The merchant weighed the gold dust by the zhu (铢).
  • In ancient times, one liang equaled twenty-four zhu (二十四铢为一两).
  • He didn't care about a single zhu of silver (一铢银子).
  • The difference is as slight as a zhu (铢两之差).

Collocations

  • Ancient weight unit(铢两)
  • Zhu and Liang(铢两)
  • Accumulating zhu to form liang(积铢累寸)
  • Zhu currency(铢钱)
  • Not a single zhu(分铢不取)
  • Zhu scale(铢秤)

Idioms

  • Accumulating little by little(积铢累寸)
  • Calculating meticulously(铢铢较量)
  • Not differing by a zhu(铢两不差)
  • Weighing every zhu and liang(铢两悉称)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The zhu was the smallest unit of weight in ancient China's measurement system.
  • It was used in various dynasties for weighing precious metals and medicines.
  • The character appears in idioms emphasizing precision and accumulation of small amounts.
  • Represents the concept of minute measurement in traditional Chinese culture.

FAQ