How to Write 垧 (shǎng) — Meaning “shang (unit of land area)”

Imagine a piece of land (土) that you are facing (向) as you measure it. The character looks like a square field with a direction indicator, helping you remember it is a unit for measuring land area.

垧 has 9 strokes. Write the left radical 土 first (horizontal, vertical, horizontal), then the right side 向 (stroke order: left-falling, vertical, horizontal hook, vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal). A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep the 扌-like? Actually the right side should be balanced with the left. Ensure the inner mouth of 向 is not too large.

垧 has the right component 向 (with a roof-like top and a mouth shape), and means a land area unit. 圻 has 斤 (a hatchet shape) on the right and means a border or boundary. 圼 has 日 (sun) on the right and refers to a small mound. Visually, focus on the right side: 向 vs 斤 vs 日.

垧 is used in rural northern China as a traditional unit of land area, roughly equal to one hectare or 15 mu. It appears in agricultural discussions, land contracts, and historical records, but is less common in everyday urban speech. You might see it in phrases like 一垧地 (one shang of land).

Common words containing 垧 include: 一垧地 (yī shǎng dì) — one shang of land (approx. 1 hectare); 几垧 (jǐ shǎng) — how many hectares (land unit); 垧地 (shǎng dì) — land measured in 'shang'.