Meaning
公升 is the standard Mandarin term for the metric unit of volume, the liter. It's used when measuring liquids like water, milk, gasoline, or beverages, as well as engine displacement in vehicles. This is a formal, technical term commonly seen in commercial and scientific contexts.
Usage
公升 is the official measure word but in everyday speech, many mainland Chinese speakers simply say 升 (shēng) for brevity. In formal contexts like product labels, gas stations, and technical specifications, 公升 is preferred. It's written after numbers when stating quantities.
Examples
- 01这辆车的油箱能装五十公升汽油。.This car's fuel tank can hold fifty liters of gasoline.
- 02请给我两公升牛奶。.Please give me two liters of milk.
Characters
Common collocations
- 多少公升how many liters
- 每公升per liter
- 公升数number of liters, liters count
Origin
公 here indicates 'metric' or 'international standard,' while 升 is the traditional Chinese unit. Together they form the modern term for the metric liter, distinguishing it from the traditional 升 which was a different volume measure.