Centimeter to Toise Converter
Convert centimeters to toise with our free online length converter.
Quick Answer
1 Centimeter = 0.005131 toise
Formula: Centimeter × conversion factor = Toise
Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.
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All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.
Centimeter to Toise Calculator
How to Use the Centimeter to Toise Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Centimeter).
- The converted value in Toise will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Centimeter to Toise: Step-by-Step Guide
Converting Centimeter to Toise involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Centimeter = 0.00513084 toiseExample Calculation:
Convert 10 centimeters: 10 × 0.00513084 = 0.0513084 toise
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
Need to convert to other length units?
View all Length conversions →What is a Centimeter and a Toise?
The centimeter (symbol: cm) is a unit of length equal to exactly one-hundredth of a meter (1/100 m or 0.01 m). It's also equal to exactly 10 millimeters.
The centimeter is part of the International System of Units (SI) and uses the metric prefix "centi-" meaning one-hundredth (from Latin centum, "hundred").
Mathematical Relationships
1 centimeter equals:
- 10 millimeters (mm)
- 0.01 meters (m)
- 0.00001 kilometers (km)
- 0.393701 inches (in)
- 0.0328084 feet (ft)
Key conversion:
- 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly (this is the official international definition established in 1959)
Why Centimeters?
While the meter is the official SI base unit for length, centimeters are more practical for everyday measurements:
Too small for meters, too large for millimeters: A person who is 1.75 meters tall is more commonly described as 175 centimeters in metric countries. Writing "1.75 m" requires decimals; "175 cm" uses whole numbers.
Human-scale convenience: Most objects people interact with daily—clothing, screens, body measurements, food items—fall naturally into the 1-100 cm range.
Avoids decimal confusion: "15.2 cm" is clearer than "0.152 m" for most people.
The Toise is an historical French unit of length, used extensively before the adoption of the metric system. It was legally defined as 6 pieds du roi (French royal feet).
Based on the standard established for the pied du roi, the Toise equates to:
- Exactly 1.94903631 meters (m) (based on the 1799 definition of the meter relative to the standard Toise bar)
- Approximately 6.395 English feet (ft)
- Approximately 76.73 English inches (in)
The Toise was further subdivided:
- 1 Toise = 6 Pieds (French feet)
- 1 Toise = 72 Pouces (French inches)
- 1 Toise = 864 Lignes (French lines)
Note: The Centimeter is part of the metric (SI) system, primarily used globally in science and trade. The Toise belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Centimeter and Toise
French Revolution and the Birth of the Metric System
1790s: Revolutionary Innovation: The centimeter was born from the French Revolution's ambition to create a rational, universal measurement system based on nature and decimal mathematics.
The Meter Foundation: In 1791, the French Academy of Sciences defined the meter as one ten-millionth (1/10,000,000) of the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the meridian passing through Paris. The centimeter automatically followed as 1/100 of this meter.
Latin Roots: The prefix "centi-" derives from the Latin centum (hundred), making "centimeter" literally "hundredth of a meter."
1795 Official Adoption: France officially adopted the metric system on April 7, 1795, including the centimeter as a standard subdivision of the meter.
CGS System: The Centimeter's Scientific Era
1874: The Centimeter-Gram-Second System: British scientists James Clerk Maxwell and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) promoted the CGS system, which used:
- Centimeter for length (instead of meter)
- Gram for mass (instead of kilogram)
- Second for time
Scientific Dominance: The CGS system became the preferred standard for physics and chemistry throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many scientific formulas and units were developed using centimeters.
Legacy Units: Several units still reflect the CGS heritage:
- Poise (viscosity): measured in gram/(centimeter·second)
- Erg (energy): gram·centimeter²/second²
- Gauss (magnetic field): CGS unit for magnetic flux density
Transition to SI and the Modern Era
1960: The SI System: The International System of Units (SI) was officially established, promoting the meter-kilogram-second (MKS) system instead of CGS.
Centimeter's Continued Relevance: Despite the official SI preference for meters, centimeters remained dominant for everyday measurements because:
- They're more practical for human-scale objects
- They avoid decimals for most common measurements
- They're familiar and intuitive
Global Adoption: Today, 195 of 198 countries use the metric system, with centimeters as the standard for body height, clothing, and everyday measurements. Only the United States, Myanmar, and Liberia officially use non-metric systems.
The Toise was a fundamental unit of length in France for centuries, used in various fields from the Middle Ages through the Ancien Régime and into the early post-revolutionary period. Its name derives from the Latin tensa, meaning "stretched (arms)", suggesting an origin related to fathom.
Standardization was crucial. The primary standard became the Toise du Châtelet, an iron bar embedded in the wall of the Grand Châtelet fortress in Paris. In 1668, this standard was physically copied by Jean Picard and used for geodetic surveys. Later, a copy known as the Toise du Pérou (or Toise de l'Académie) became the official reference standard for French length measurements. This specific bar was physically used in the famous French Geodesic Missions to Peru (1735–1744) and Lapland (1736–1737), which aimed to measure the length of a degree of latitude near the equator and the Arctic Circle, respectively.
These measurements, based on the Toise, were instrumental in determining the shape of the Earth and ultimately provided the basis for the definition of the meter. The meter was initially defined in the 1790s as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the Equator along the meridian passing through Paris, a distance calculated from the geodetic surveys performed using the Toise standard.
The Toise was officially replaced by the meter following the French Revolution and the establishment of the metric system in France, formally adopted in 1799.
Common Uses and Applications: centimeters vs toise
Explore the typical applications for both Centimeter (metric) and Toise (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for centimeters
Medical and Healthcare
Growth Charts: Children's height is tracked in centimeters from birth:
- Pediatricians plot growth on percentile charts
- Birth length recorded in cm (typically 45-55 cm)
- Annual height measurements track development
Medical Measurements:
- Wound size: "3 cm laceration"
- Tumor diameter: measured in cm for staging
- Organ size: "enlarged liver extending 4 cm below rib cage"
- Dilation during childbirth: measured in cm (0-10 cm)
Medical Equipment:
- Blood pressure cuff width: 12-13 cm for adults
- Surgical incision length: documented in cm
- Catheter diameter: measured in mm, length in cm
Education and School Supplies
Rulers and Measuring Tools: Most rulers worldwide show centimeters:
- Standard ruler: 15 cm or 30 cm length
- Meter stick: 100 cm with cm markings
- Tape measures: marked in cm (and meters)
Paper Sizes (International ISO 216 Standard):
- A4 paper: 21 × 29.7 cm (most common worldwide)
- A5 paper: 14.8 × 21 cm (half of A4)
- A3 paper: 29.7 × 42 cm (double A4)
- Letter size (US): 21.6 × 27.9 cm (8.5 × 11 inches)
School Supplies:
- Pencil length: 19 cm (new)
- Notebook width: 15-21 cm
- Eraser length: 4-6 cm
Construction and Home Improvement
Tile Sizes: Floor and wall tiles measured in cm:
- Small tiles: 10×10 cm
- Medium tiles: 30×30 cm
- Large format tiles: 60×60 cm or 80×80 cm
- Subway tiles: 7.5×15 cm
Furniture Dimensions:
- Coffee table height: 40-50 cm
- Dining table height: 75 cm (standard)
- Chair seat height: 45-50 cm
- Sofa seat depth: 50-60 cm
Door Measurements:
- Standard interior door width: 80-90 cm
- Standard door height: 200-210 cm
- Door thickness: 3.5-4.5 cm
Art, Design, and Photography
Photo Print Sizes:
- 10×15 cm (4×6 inches) - standard print
- 13×18 cm (5×7 inches)
- 20×25 cm (8×10 inches)
- 30×40 cm (12×16 inches)
Canvas and Frame Sizes: Art supply stores sell in metric:
- Small canvas: 20×25 cm
- Medium canvas: 30×40 cm
- Large canvas: 50×70 cm
Drawing and Design:
- Technical drawings: dimensioned in cm or mm
- Graph paper: 0.5 cm or 1 cm grids
- Architectural scales: often use 1:50 or 1:100 (cm-based)
Sports and Recreation
Swimming Pool Depth: Measured in cm or meters:
- Shallow end: 90-120 cm
- Deep end: 180-300 cm
- Competition pool depth: minimum 200 cm
Bicycle Frame Sizes: Road bikes measured in cm:
- Small frame: 48-52 cm
- Medium frame: 54-56 cm
- Large frame: 58-62 cm
Sports Equipment:
- Tennis ball diameter: 6.5-6.7 cm
- Golf ball diameter: 4.3 cm
- Basketball diameter: 24 cm
When to Use toise
The Toise is now obsolete but was historically essential for:
- Land Surveying: Measuring land areas, property boundaries, and distances for cartography.
- Architecture and Civil Engineering: Designing and constructing buildings, bridges, canals, roads, and fortifications (notably by Vauban). Dimensions of major historical French structures were often specified in Toise.
- Military Engineering: Laying out fortifications, measuring artillery ranges.
- Geodesy and Scientific Measurement: Serving as the standard unit for precise scientific measurements, particularly in astronomy and the crucial 18th-century geodetic surveys that measured the Earth.
- Craftsmanship: Used in various trades requiring length measurements.
Additional Unit Information
About Toise (toise)
How long is a Toise?
The standard French Toise is defined as 6 pieds du roi (French royal feet). This corresponds to:
- Exactly 1.94903631 meters
- Approximately 6.395 English feet
How does the Toise compare to a Meter?
- 1 Toise ≈ 1.949 meters
- 1 Meter ≈ 0.513 Toise The Toise was the historical standard upon which the original definition of the meter was based through geodetic surveys.
What were the subdivisions of the Toise?
The Toise was divided based on the French foot (pied du roi):
- 1 Toise = 6 Pieds
- 1 Pied = 12 Pouces (inches)
- 1 Pouce = 12 Lignes (lines) Therefore, 1 Toise = 72 pouces = 864 lignes.
Is the Toise an SI unit?
No, the Toise is not an SI unit. It is a traditional unit from the pre-metric French system (Mesures usuelles). The SI base unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the Toise still used today?
No, the Toise is obsolete and not used in modern measurements. It was legally replaced by the meter in France and elsewhere. Its significance today is purely historical, particularly in the context of historical architecture, engineering, surveying, and the scientific history leading to the metric system.
Conversion Table: Centimeter to Toise
| Centimeter (cm) | Toise (toise) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.003 |
| 1 | 0.005 |
| 1.5 | 0.008 |
| 2 | 0.01 |
| 5 | 0.026 |
| 10 | 0.051 |
| 25 | 0.128 |
| 50 | 0.257 |
| 100 | 0.513 |
| 250 | 1.283 |
| 500 | 2.565 |
| 1,000 | 5.131 |
People Also Ask
How do I convert Centimeter to Toise?
To convert Centimeter to Toise, enter the value in Centimeter in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our length converter page to convert between other units in this category.
Learn more →What is the conversion factor from Centimeter to Toise?
The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Centimeter and Toise. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.
Can I convert Toise back to Centimeter?
Yes! You can easily convert Toise back to Centimeter by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Toise to Centimeter converter page. You can also explore other length conversions on our category page.
Learn more →What are common uses for Centimeter and Toise?
Centimeter and Toise are both standard units used in length measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our length converter for more conversion options.
For more length conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.
Helpful Conversion Guides
Learn more about unit conversion with our comprehensive guides:
📚 How to Convert Units
Step-by-step guide to unit conversion with practical examples.
🔢 Conversion Formulas
Essential formulas for length and other conversions.
⚖️ Metric vs Imperial
Understand the differences between measurement systems.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Learn about frequent errors and how to avoid them.
All Length Conversions
Other Length Units and Conversions
Explore other length units and their conversion options:
- Meter (m) • Centimeter to Meter
- Kilometer (km) • Centimeter to Kilometer
- Hectometer (hm) • Centimeter to Hectometer
- Decimeter (dm) • Centimeter to Decimeter
- Millimeter (mm) • Centimeter to Millimeter
- Inch (in) • Centimeter to Inch
- Foot (ft) • Centimeter to Foot
- Yard (yd) • Centimeter to Yard
- Mile (mi) • Centimeter to Mile
- Nautical Mile (NM) • Centimeter to Nautical Mile
Verified Against Authority Standards
All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.
National Institute of Standards and Technology — Official US standards for length measurements
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures — International System of Units official documentation
Last verified: February 19, 2026