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 nameMetric equivalentImperial equivalentCentral Asian equivalences
batpan (b)589.68kg1300.02lb1 batpan = 36 put
put (p)16.38kg36lb 1.787oz1 put = 40 qadaq
qadaq (qd)409.5g14.44oz1 qadaq = 100 mişqal
mişqal (mş)4.095g0.144ozsubdivided 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.