Digit to Sajene Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert digits to sajenes with our free online length converter.
Digit to Sajene Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Digit).
- The converted value in Sajene 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 Digit to Sajene
Converting Digit to Sajene involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Digit = 0.00892857 sajenesExample Calculation:
Convert 10 digits: 10 × 0.00892857 = 0.0892857 sajenes
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.
What is a Digit and a Sajene?
The Digit, also known as the finger or fingerbreadth, is an ancient, anthropomorphic unit of length, originally based on the breadth (width) of a human adult finger (typically the index finger). As a body-based unit, its value varied significantly depending on the person, time period, and culture.
Historically, it was often considered to be approximately 3/4 of an inch or about 1.9 centimeters (cm). In many systems, it formed a subdivision of larger units like the palm, span, or cubit. For example, it was common for:
- 4 digits = 1 palm
- 12 digits = 1 span (sometimes)
- 24 or 28 digits = 1 cubit (depending on the cubit definition)
The Sajene (Russian: сажень or саже́нь, IPA: [ˈsaʐɨnʲ] or [sɐˈʐɛnʲ]) is an historical Russian unit of length. It was a fundamental unit in the traditional Russian system of measures.
The standard or "state" Sajene (kazyonnaya sazhen) was legally defined as:
- 3 Arshins (another Russian unit)
- 7 English Feet (after Peter the Great's reforms aligned some Russian units with English standards)
- 84 English Inches
This equates to:
- Exactly 2.1336 meters (m)
- Exactly 7 feet (ft)
- Exactly 84 inches (in)
The Sajene was subdivided as follows:
- 1 Sajene = 3 Arshins
- 1 Arshin = 16 Vershoks (meaning 1 Sajene = 48 Vershoks)
Note: The Digit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Sajene belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Digit and Sajene
The digit is one of the oldest known units of measurement, used by ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks, Romans, and later across Europe. Its convenience stemmed from the ready availability of the human hand for estimation.
- Ancient Egypt: The digit (djeba) was a fundamental unit, with 28 digits forming the Royal Cubit.
- Ancient Rome: The Roman digit (digitus) was defined as 1/16 of a Roman foot, approximately 1.85 cm. Four digiti made a palmus (palm).
- Medieval England: The digit was often reckoned as 3/4 of an inch, derived from the barleycorn (3 barleycorns = 1 inch, 4 digits = 3 inches).
Due to its inherent variability and the rise of more standardized systems based on physical prototypes (like the yard or meter), the digit gradually fell out of practical use for trade and science, becoming largely obsolete by the early modern period.
The Sajene was used in Russia for centuries, likely originating from an anthropomorphic measurement related to the span of outstretched arms or a person's reach, similar to the fathom in other systems. The name itself may derive from Slavic roots related to reaching or stretching.
While informal variations existed, the unit was standardized over time, notably under Peter the Great (reigned 1682–1725), who aligned the Arshin with 28 English inches, thereby fixing the standard Sajene at exactly 7 English feet (2.1336 m).
The Sajene remained a primary unit for larger measurements in Russia until the metric system was adopted following the Russian Revolution. The metric system became compulsory in the USSR on January 1, 1925, rendering the Sajene and other traditional units obsolete for official use.
Common Uses for digits and sajenes
Explore the typical applications for both Digit (imperial/US) and Sajene (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for digits
The digit is now obsolete for practical measurement but is encountered in:
- Historical Texts: Found in ancient and medieval documents describing dimensions of objects, buildings, or anatomical measurements.
- Archaeology & Anthropology: Used when interpreting historical measurements or comparing ancient systems.
- Figurative Language: Occasionally used informally to mean a very small distance ("just a digit more").
- Understanding Historical Units: Key to understanding the structure of ancient measurement systems (e.g., relationship to palm, cubit).
Common Uses for sajenes
The Sajene is now obsolete but was historically essential in various fields in Russia:
- Land Surveying: Measuring land plots, distances, and property boundaries.
- Architecture and Construction: Specifying dimensions of buildings, structures, and materials like timber.
- Shipbuilding: Measuring lengths related to ship design and construction.
- Rope Making: Measuring lengths of rope.
- Cartography: Used in mapmaking and geographical measurements.
- Folk Measurement: Appeared in everyday language and descriptions of distance or height.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Digit (digit)
How long is a digit?
There is no single, precise value for the digit because it was based on human anatomy and varied by system. Common historical approximations include:
- Approximately 0.75 inches (in)
- Approximately 1.85 to 1.9 centimeters (cm)
- Often defined as 1/4 of a palm or 1/16 of a foot within specific historical systems.
What is the relation between a digit and a palm?
In many historical systems (like the Roman and often the English), 4 digits were considered equal to 1 palm (the width of the hand across the base of the fingers).
What is the relation between a digit and a cubit?
The relationship varied. For example:
- The Egyptian Royal Cubit contained 28 digits.
- The common Greek and Roman cubits often contained 24 digits.
Is the digit an SI unit?
No, the digit is not an SI unit. It is an ancient, non-standardized, anthropomorphic unit. The corresponding SI unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the digit still used today?
No, the digit is not used for any standard or practical measurements today. Its use is confined to historical study, interpretation of old texts, and occasional figurative speech.
Where does the name 'digit' come from?
The name comes from the Latin word digitus, which means "finger" or "toe". This reflects the unit's origin based on the width of a human finger.
About Sajene (sajene)
How long is a Sajene?
The standard Russian Sajene (kazyonnaya sazhen) is exactly:
- 2.1336 meters
- 7 English feet
- 84 English inches
- 3 Arshins
What were the subdivisions of the Sajene?
The Sajene was divided into smaller traditional Russian units:
- 1 Sajene = 3 Arshins
- 1 Arshin = 16 Vershoks
- Therefore, 1 Sajene = 48 Vershoks.
Were there different types of Sajene?
Yes, besides the standard "state" Sajene (7 feet), two other common variations based on body measurements existed historically, though their lengths were less standardized:
- Makhovaya Sajene (Маховая сажень - "swinging" or "sweeping" Sajene): The distance between the fingertips of a person's outstretched arms, roughly equivalent to a fathom (approx. 1.76 meters or 5.77 feet).
- Kosaya Sajene (Косая сажень - "oblique" Sajene): The distance from the toes of one foot to the fingertips of the opposite arm raised diagonally upwards (approx. 2.48 meters or 8.14 feet). This was often used idiomatically to describe someone tall and broad-shouldered.
The kazyonnaya sazhen (7 feet) was the official standard used for legal and technical purposes.
How does the Sajene compare to a Meter or Fathom?
- 1 Sajene = 2.1336 meters
- 1 Meter ≈ 0.4687 Sajenes
- The standard Sajene (2.1336 m / 7 ft) is slightly longer than the standard English fathom (1.8288 m / 6 ft). The Makhovaya Sajene (~1.76 m) was closer in concept and length to the fathom.
Is the Sajene an SI unit?
No, the Sajene is not an SI unit. It is a traditional unit from the historical Russian system of measurement. The SI base unit for length is the meter (m).
Is the Sajene still used today?
No, the Sajene is obsolete and not used in modern measurements in Russia or elsewhere. It was officially replaced by the metric system in 1925. Its significance today is purely historical, found in old texts, documents, literature, and descriptions of historical sites or objects.
Conversion Table: Digit to Sajene
| Digit (digit) | Sajene (sajene) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.009 |
| 5 | 0.045 |
| 10 | 0.089 |
| 25 | 0.223 |
| 50 | 0.446 |
| 100 | 0.893 |
| 500 | 4.464 |
| 1,000 | 8.929 |
All Length Conversions
Other Units from Length
- Meter (m)
- Kilometer (km)
- Hectometer (hm)
- Decimeter (dm)
- Centimeter (cm)
- Millimeter (mm)
- Inch (in)
- Foot (ft)
- Yard (yd)
- Mile (mi)
- Nautical Mile (NM)
- Micrometer (μm)
- Nanometer (nm)
- Light Year (ly)
- Astronomical Unit (AU)
- Parsec (pc)
- Angstrom (Å)
- Point (Typography) (pt)
- Mil/Thou (mil)
- Fathom (fath)
- Furlong (fur)
- Link (Gunter's) (li)
- Pace (pace)
- Span (span)
- Cable Length (cb)
- Ell (ell)
- Finger (finger)
- Roman Mile (m.p.)
- Stadion (stadion)
- Chi (Chinese) (chi)
- Shaku (Japanese) (shaku)
- Li (Chinese) (li)
- Toise (toise)
- Bolt (bolt)
- Rope (rope)
- Smoot (smoot)
- Ken (ken)
- Wa (wa)
- Vara (vara)
- Aln (aln)
- Cubit (Royal/Egyptian) (cubit)
- Versta (versta)
- Arpent (arpent)
- Ri (Japanese) (ri)
- Klafter (klafter)
- Yojana (yojana)
- Skein (skein)