How to Write 尺 (chǐ) — Meaning “ruler; a unit of length (chi)”

Imagine the top part 尸 looks like a stiff body lying flat, and the bottom hook is like a small ruler attached to it. Think of a ruler as something straight and stiff, just like the shape of 尺.

Write the first horizontal stroke short, then a left-falling stroke, followed by another horizontal stroke, and finish with a vertical hook. A common mistake is making the hook too long or forgetting it altogether, which would make the character look like 尸.

尺 has a vertical hook at the bottom, while 尸 is just the top part without the hook. 尹 has an extra horizontal stroke in the middle, so it looks like 尸 with a line across, whereas 尺 has two horizontals and a hook.

You see 尺 in 尺子 (chǐ zi, ruler) and 尺寸 (chǐ cùn, size/dimensions). In Chinese culture, the word 尺 also refers to a traditional unit of length (about 33.3 cm) still used in some contexts like making clothes.

Common words containing 尺 include: 尺子 (chǐ zi) — ruler; 尺寸 (chǐ cùn) — size; dimension; 英尺 (yīng chǐ) — Foot (unit of length).