Skip to content
道Nihongo Path
尺

尺·shaku, japanese foot, measure

On-yomi
シャク
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
尺しゃくshaku (traditional unit, about 30.3 cm)
尺度しゃくどscale; yardstick; criterion
尺八しゃくはちshakuhachi (bamboo flute)
巻き尺まきじゃくtape measure

Example sentences

  1. 一尺は約三十センチだ。

    いっしゃくはやくさんじゅっせんちだ。

    One shaku is about thirty centimetres.

  2. 巻き尺で部屋の幅を測った。

    まきじゃくでへやのはばをはかった。

    I measured the width of the room with a tape measure.

  3. 尺度が違えば結果の見え方も変わる。

    しゃくどがちがえばけっかのみえかたもかわる。

    Change the yardstick and the results look different.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • 尺度 is a measuring standard or criterion, not a ruler (that is 定規)
  • 巻き尺 voices to まきじゃく

Memory aid

Picture it

A hand with the thumb stretched away from the fingers — the old way of spanning a length by hand.

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5

What does the kanji 尺 mean?