Li (Chinese) (li) - Unit Information & Conversion

Symbol:li
Plural:li
Category:Length

What is a Li (Chinese)?

Definition

The Li (里) is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, often translated as the "Chinese mile". It represents a significantly longer distance than the Chi (Chinese foot) and was historically the primary unit for measuring travel distances and land divisions over large areas.

Traditionally, the Li was defined in relation to smaller units like the Bu (步 - pace) or the Zhang (丈), and ultimately the Chi (尺). Common historical relationships included:

  • 1 Li = 300 or 360 Bu
  • 1 Bu = 5 or 6 Chi
  • Therefore, 1 Li could equal 1500 or 1800 Chi.
  • Alternatively, 1 Li = 150 Zhang (since 1 Zhang = 10 Chi).

Like other traditional Chinese units, its exact length varied considerably across different dynasties and regions. The modern standardized value, adopted for convenience and integration with the metric system, defines the Li as exactly 500 meters (0.5 kilometers).

History

The Li has been a fundamental unit of distance in China for thousands of years, used since at least the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC). Its length was not constant, often changing with administrative reforms or shifts in the standard length of the base unit, the Chi.

  • Early Dynasties: The length fluctuated. For example, during the Han Dynasty, based on a Chi of ~23.1 cm and a definition of 1 Li = 300 Bu = 1800 Chi, the Li would have been approximately 415.8 meters. Other periods might have used different definitions or Chi lengths, leading to Li values ranging roughly from 300 to over 500 meters.
  • Standardization Efforts: Various dynasties attempted to standardize measurements, but regional variations often persisted. The Li was crucial for imperial administration, defining tax districts, postal routes, and military logistics.
  • 20th Century Standardization: Following the establishment of the Republic of China, efforts were made to align traditional units with the metric system. In 1929, alongside the standardization of the Chi as 1/3 meter, the Li was officially defined as 1500 Chi, which resulted in exactly 500 meters (0.5 kilometers). This standard was maintained by the People's Republic of China.

The Li's historical significance lies in its role as the standard measure for long distances, shaping perceptions of geography and travel within China and neighboring East Asian cultures influenced by the Chinese system.

Common Uses

While officially replaced by the kilometer for most purposes, the Li retains significance:

  • Historical Measurement: Essential for understanding distances mentioned in historical texts, maps, administrative records, travelogues, and descriptions of large-scale projects like the Great Wall or canal systems.
  • Geographical Names: Many place names in China incorporate "Li" (e.g., 十里堡 - Shilibao, "Ten Li Fort"), often reflecting historical distances or significance, even if the modern distance doesn't match precisely.
  • Cultural References: The Li features prominently in Chinese idioms, proverbs, literature, and poetry, often symbolizing long journeys or vast distances. A famous example is 千里之行,始於足下 (qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià - "A journey of a thousand li begins with a single step").
  • Informal Usage: In some rural areas or among older generations, "Li" might still be used informally to refer to a distance of approximately half a kilometer. It can also be used colloquially as a direct synonym for 0.5 km.
  • Mapping: Older maps and surveys frequently used the Li.

Unit FAQs

How long is a Li?

The length of the Li varied significantly throughout history, typically ranging from about 400 to over 500 meters. The modern standardized value (since 1929) is:

  • Exactly 500 meters (m)
  • Exactly 0.5 kilometers (km)
  • Approximately 0.3107 miles (mi)
  • Approximately 1640.42 feet (ft)
  • Approximately 546.81 yards (yd)

How was the Li historically defined?

It was typically defined based on smaller units:

  • 1 Li = 300 or 360 Bu (步 - paces)
  • Since 1 Bu was often 5 or 6 Chi (尺 - Chinese feet), this meant *1 Li = 1500 or 1800 Chi.
  • Alternatively, 1 Li = 150 Zhang (丈), where 1 Zhang = 10 Chi. The variation depended on the specific dynasty, region, and the prevailing standard length of the Chi.

How does the Li relate to the Kilometer?

The modern standardized Li is defined directly in relation to the kilometer:

  • 1 Li = 0.5 Kilometers
  • 1 Kilometer = 2 Li

Is the Li an SI unit?

No, the Li is not an SI unit. It is a traditional Chinese unit of distance. The SI base unit for length is the meter (m), and the commonly used unit for larger distances is the kilometer (km).

Is the Li still used today?

Officially, China uses the metric system (kilometers and meters) for all legal, commercial, scientific, and administrative purposes. However, the Li continues to be used in:

  • Historical and cultural contexts.
  • Geographical place names.
  • Idioms and literature.
  • Informal conversation, often meaning exactly 0.5 km.

Is this related to the surveying Link (li)?

No, they are completely different and unrelated units, despite the similar symbol in some contexts.

  • The Chinese Li (里) is a traditional unit of distance, standardized at 500 meters.
  • The Gunter's Link (li) is a historical surveying unit from the imperial system, equal to 0.201168 meters (or 7.92 inches).

Li (Chinese) Conversion Formulas

To Meter:

1 li = 500 m
Example: 5 li = 2500 meters

To Kilometer:

1 li = 0.5 km
Example: 5 li = 2.5 kilometers

To Hectometer:

1 li = 5 hm
Example: 5 li = 25 hectometers

To Decimeter:

1 li = 5000 dm
Example: 5 li = 25000 decimeters

To Centimeter:

1 li = 50000 cm
Example: 5 li = 250000 centimeters

To Millimeter:

1 li = 500000 mm
Example: 5 li = 2500000 millimeters

To Inch:

1 li = 19685.03937 in
Example: 5 li = 98425.19685 inches

To Foot:

1 li = 1640.419948 ft
Example: 5 li = 8202.099738 feet

To Yard:

1 li = 546.806649 yd
Example: 5 li = 2734.033246 yards

To Mile:

1 li = 0.310686 mi
Example: 5 li = 1.553428 miles

To Nautical Mile:

1 li = 0.269978 NM
Example: 5 li = 1.349892 nautical miles

To Micrometer:

1 li = 500000000 μm
Example: 5 li = 2500000000 micrometers

To Nanometer:

1 li = 499999999999.99994 nm
Example: 5 li = 2500000000000 nanometers

To Light Year:

1 li = 5.2849e-14 ly
Example: 5 li = 2.6424e-13 light years

To Astronomical Unit:

1 li = 3.3422e-9 AU
Example: 5 li = 1.6711e-8 astronomical units

To Parsec:

1 li = 1.6204e-14 pc
Example: 5 li = 8.1019e-14 parsecs

To Angstrom:

1 li = 5000000000000 Å
Example: 5 li = 25000000000000 angstroms

To Point (Typography):

1 li = 1417321.941844 pt
Example: 5 li = 7086609.709222 points

To Mil/Thou:

1 li = 19685039.370079 mil
Example: 5 li = 98425196.850394 mils

To Fathom:

1 li = 273.403325 fath
Example: 5 li = 1367.016623 fathoms

To Furlong:

1 li = 2.485485 fur
Example: 5 li = 12.427424 furlongs

To Link (Gunter's):

1 li = 2485.484769 li
Example: 5 li = 12427.423845 links

To Pace:

1 li = 656.167979 pace
Example: 5 li = 3280.839895 paces

To Span:

1 li = 2187.226597 span
Example: 5 li = 10936.132983 spans

To Digit:

1 li = 26246.71916 digit
Example: 5 li = 131233.595801 digits

To Cable Length:

1 li = 2.699784 cb
Example: 5 li = 13.49892 cable lengths

To Ell:

1 li = 437.445319 ell
Example: 5 li = 2187.226597 ells

To Finger:

1 li = 4374.453193 finger
Example: 5 li = 21872.265967 fingers

To Roman Mile:

1 li = 0.337838 m.p.
Example: 5 li = 1.689189 Roman miles

To Stadion:

1 li = 2.702703 stadion
Example: 5 li = 13.513514 stadia

To Chi (Chinese):

1 li = 1500.150015 chi
Example: 5 li = 7500.750075 chi

To Shaku (Japanese):

1 li = 1650.165017 shaku
Example: 5 li = 8250.825083 shaku

To Toise:

1 li = 256.541816 toise
Example: 5 li = 1282.709082 toise

To Bolt:

1 li = 16.404199 bolt
Example: 5 li = 82.020997 bolts

To Rope:

1 li = 82.020997 rope
Example: 5 li = 410.104987 ropes

To Smoot:

1 li = 293.806558 smoot
Example: 5 li = 1469.032789 smoots

To Sajene:

1 li = 234.345707 sajene
Example: 5 li = 1171.728534 sajenes

To Ken:

1 li = 275.027503 ken
Example: 5 li = 1375.137514 ken

To Wa:

1 li = 250 wa
Example: 5 li = 1250 wa

To Vara:

1 li = 596.516345 vara
Example: 5 li = 2982.581723 varas

To Aln:

1 li = 841.750842 aln
Example: 5 li = 4208.754209 alnar

To Cubit (Royal/Egyptian):

1 li = 956.022945 cubit
Example: 5 li = 4780.114723 cubits

To Versta:

1 li = 0.468691 versta
Example: 5 li = 2.343457 versts

To Arpent:

1 li = 8.551248 arpent
Example: 5 li = 42.756238 arpents

To Ri (Japanese):

1 li = 0.127324 ri
Example: 5 li = 0.636618 ri

To Klafter:

1 li = 263.643554 klafter
Example: 5 li = 1318.21777 klafter

To Yojana:

1 li = 0.037037 yojana
Example: 5 li = 0.185185 yojanas

To Skein:

1 li = 4.556722 skein
Example: 5 li = 22.78361 skeins

Convert Li (Chinese)

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