Central Asian Measures
In much of the Central Asia region, especially Turkestan and Uyguristan, a standard set of weights and measures is used that is not based either on the Roman
SI units of pounds and feet, or on the
Louisiannan metric system. The Central Asian measures are a standardised version of the traditional units of the region, and are detailed below.
Units of Length
Unit name |
Metric equivalent |
Imperial equivalent |
Central Asian equivalences |
çaqırım (çq) |
1067.155m |
3501'-2" |
1 çaqırım = 1528 arçın = 636⅔ qulaş |
qulaş (q) |
1.67616m |
5'-6" |
1 qulaş = 12 süyüm |
arçın (ar) |
69.84cm |
2'-3½" |
1 arçın = 5 süyüm |
süyüm (sü) |
13.968cm |
5½" |
1 süyüm = 8 iliş |
iliş (i) |
17.46mm |
11/16" |
subdivided into fractions |
1 çaqırım is equal to 7,640 süyüm or 61,120 iliş
The qulaş is a slightly odd measure, in that it doesn't divide cleanly into a çaqırım, having instead 636 qulaş and 8 süyüm. It is based on the traditional way of measuring from fingertip to fingertip with arms extended horizontally at one's sides.
Units of Weight
Unit name | Metric equivalent | Imperial equivalent | Central Asian equivalences |
---|
batpan (b) | 589.68kg | 1300.02lb | 1 batpan = 36 put |
put (p) | 16.38kg | 36lb 1.787oz | 1 put = 40 qadaq |
qadaq (qd) | 409.5g | 14.44oz | 1 qadaq = 100 mişqal |
mişqal (mş) | 4.095g | 0.144oz | subdivided into fractions |
Thus 1 batpan is equal to 1440 qadaq or 144,000 mişqal, and 1 put is equal to 4,000 mişqal.
Liquid Measure
Unit name |
Metric equivalent |
Imperial equivalent |
Central Asian equivalences |
toyğazan |
125.528 litres |
27.625 Imperial gallons |
1 toyğazan = 25 çolaq |
çolaq |
5.02112 litres |
1.105 Imperial gallons (8.84 Imperial pints) |
1 çolaq = 40 keç |
keç |
125.528 millilitres |
4.42 fluid ounces (0.221 Imperial pints) |
1 keç = 8 pişim |
pişim |
15.691 millilitres |
0.5525 fluid ounces |
subdivided into fractions |
1 toyğazan = 1,000 keç, or 8,000 pişim. 1 çolaq = 320 pişim.
Most dry goods are measured by weight, however, spices are measured by volume with a "long pişim" which is one seventh of a keç, instead of the usual pişim which is one eighth.