If you’re standing in a furniture store or looking at a height requirement on a document, you probably just want a quick answer. How big is it? Well, 6 尺 是 多少 cm? The short, "I'm in a rush" answer is 181.8 cm.
But wait.
Before you go marking that wall or ordering that bed frame, there is a massive catch. Depending on where you are—Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Mainland China—the word "chi" (尺) means different things. It's one of those weird historical leftovers that makes shopping for clothes or measuring a room a total nightmare if you aren't careful. Seriously. If you use the wrong "chi," you could be off by nearly 20 centimeters. That’s the difference between a shirt that fits and one that looks like a crop top.
The Math Behind 6 尺 是 多少 cm
Let's break down the most common version first. In the Taiwanese market and traditional carpentry, we usually talk about the "Tai chi" (台尺). This is rooted in the Japanese colonial period's "shaku" system.
The math is specific. One Tai chi is exactly 30.303 cm. So, when you do the multiplication for 6 尺 是 多少 cm, you get roughly 181.81 cm. Most people just round it to 182 for simplicity.
It’s different in Mainland China. There, they modernized the system to make it play nice with the metric system. They decided one "chi" (市尺) should be exactly one-third of a meter. That's 33.33 cm. If you’re buying something from a seller in Beijing or Shanghai and they say it’s 6 尺, they mean 200 cm.
Think about that. 182 cm versus 200 cm. If you are buying a rug, that is a huge gap.
Then there is Hong Kong. Because of the British influence mixed with Cantonese tradition, their "chi" is often 37.147 cm in specific trade contexts, though most residents now just use the British foot (30.48 cm) and call it a "chi." If we use the British foot for 6 尺, we're looking at 182.88 cm. It's a mess, right?
Why Does This Even Matter in 2026?
You'd think we would have given up on these old units by now. We haven't. Honestly, "chi" is baked into the culture of construction and interior design.
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If you go to buy a bed in Taiwan, you’ll hear people talk about a "6-foot bed" (六尺床). They aren't talking about American feet. They are talking about the Tai chi. A standard "Queen Size" in Taiwan is $6 \times 6.2$ Tai chi. If you convert that, it’s about $182 \times 188$ cm. If you accidentally buy an American King sheet set for a Taiwanese 6-foot bed, it's going to be baggy and weird.
Carpenters love these units. They use "Lu Ban" rulers (魯班尺). These rulers don't just measure length; they measure "luck." Certain numbers are considered auspicious for wealth or health, while others are "bad." These measurements are all based on the traditional 30.3 cm scale. Even if you're a skeptic, your contractor probably isn't.
Real World Examples of the "Chi" Gap
- Height: If someone says they are "6 chi" tall in a casual conversation in a wuxia novel, they are legendary giants. In modern terms, a person who is 182 cm is quite tall, but manageable.
- Real Estate: In Hong Kong, apartments are sold by the "square foot" (平方呎). Even though the government tries to push square meters, nobody uses them.
- Fabric: Old-school tailors in Taipei still pull out the wooden yellow ruler. If you ask for 6 尺 of silk, and they give you the Mainland version instead of the local one, you're paying for way more fabric than you need.
Don't Get Fooled by Your Phone
Most people just type "6 尺 to cm" into a search engine. The problem? Google often defaults to the "Market Chi" (市尺) used in Mainland China because it’s the most populous standard.
If you're in Taiwan or shopping on a site like Shopee or Ruten, that auto-result might be wrong for your needs. Always check the source of the product. If the vendor is from China, use the 33.33 multiplier. If the vendor is local Taiwanese, use 30.3.
It's a small detail that saves a lot of "Return to Sender" shipping fees.
The Step-By-Step Conversion Guide
Since there is no single "right" answer without context, you have to be your own detective.
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1. Identify the origin. Where is the person or the product from?
2. Apply the specific multiplier. - Taiwan (Tai Chi): $6 \times 30.303 = 181.8$ cm
- Mainland China (Shi Chi): $6 \times 33.333 = 200$ cm
- Hong Kong (Colonial/British Foot): $6 \times 30.48 = 182.8$ cm
3. Add a safety margin. If you're building a cabinet to fit into a 6-foot gap, never assume. Always measure the actual space in centimeters. Wood doesn't care about your math errors; it just won't fit.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Project
Stop using "chi" for high-stakes measurements. It's a great shorthand for casual talk—like saying a "handful" of salt—but it's terrible for precision.
If you are currently looking at a space or a product described as 6 尺, your next move should be to ask the seller for the "gōng fēn" (公分) or cm. Most modern tape measures have both, but the metric side is the only one that doesn't change based on which city you're standing in.
For those buying furniture, remember that a "6-foot" mattress is almost never exactly 180 cm. It's usually 182 cm. Those two centimeters are exactly why some bed frames feel like they are "pinching" the mattress corners. Measure twice. Convert once. And always specify which "chi" you're talking about before you sign a contract.