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仞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
仞rènancient unit of measure (about 8 feet); a fathomq, 5 strokes, radical 亻, rank #62435, Very Hard
仞rèn(measure)unknown, 5 strokes, radical 亻, rank #62435, Very Hard
rèn(ren4) T4
  1. 1ancient unit of measure (about 8 feet); a fathom
  2. 2(measure)
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March 24, 2026

仞rèn(ren4)

仞 (rèn) is an ancient Chinese unit of measurement, approximately equivalent to 8 feet or 2.4 meters. It was historically used to measure depth, particularly in contexts like surveying land or water. While still recognized, it is rarely used in modern measurements, making it more of a historical reference.

Strokes5Radical亻Frequency#62435DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The use of 仞 reflects China's rich history in surveying and land measurement practices, which were vital for agriculture and urban planning in ancient times. This character often appears in historical literature about architecture and land management.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant measuring a deep well with a long stick that is 8 feet tall, which is the height of a person. The character 仞 resembles a person (亻) standing next to a measuring rod (木) – think of this figure measuring the depth of a well.

Meanings of 仞

rèn(ren4)
1ancient unit of measure (about 8 feet); a fathom
2(measure)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 仞

仞Simplified
5Strokes
亻Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 仞

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Podcast: 仞

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AI Study Notes for 仞

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 仞 with similar characters that relate to different measurements. It is generally considered a formal term and not used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to depth and measurement in historical texts.

HSK Study Tips

仞 is not included in the HSK levels, but understanding it can enhance comprehension of classical texts and historical documents. Focus on recognizing the character in context and its relationship to other measurement units like 尺 (chǐ) and 寸 (cùn).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 仞 with other measurement characters like 寸 (cùn), which is smaller. For example, saying '我有三仞' (I have three 仞) instead of '我有三尺' (I have three 尺) can lead to misunderstandings about dimensions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 仞

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Etymology of 仞

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Phonetic (sound)刃
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 仞

  1. 1The sound half刃 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  2. 2On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 仞? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 仞?

Decomposition of 仞

IDS Structure⿰亻刃
仞Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
刃ren4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 仞?

How to say ancient unit of measure (about 8 feet); a fathom in Chinese

“ancient unit of measure (about 8 feet); a fathom” in Chinese is仞rèn

仞 (rèn) is an ancient Chinese unit of measurement, approximately equivalent to 8 feet or 2.4 meters. It was historically used to measure depth, particularly in contexts like surveying land or water. While still recognized, it is rarely used in modern measurements, making it more of a historical reference.

When to use 仞

Be cautious not to confuse 仞 with similar characters that relate to different measurements. It is generally considered a formal term and not used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include phrases related to depth and measurement in historical texts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 仞 with other measurement characters like 寸 (cùn), which is smaller. For example, saying '我有三仞' (I have three 仞) instead of '我有三尺' (I have three 尺) can lead to misunderstandings about dimensions.

Write 仞

仞

Practice writing 仞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 仞

Words Containing This Character1
仞rèn(measure)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 仞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 仞

No, 仞 is considered an archaic unit of measurement and is rarely used in contemporary contexts.

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