A ''pyeong'' (abbreviationpy) is a Korean unit of

area Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while ''surface area'' refers to the area of an open su ...

and

floorspace In architecture, construction, and real estate, floor area, floor space, or floorspace is the area (measured as square feet or square metres) taken up by a building or part of it. The ways of defining "floor area" depend on what factors of the buil ...

, equal to a square '' kan'' or 36square Korean feet. The ''ping'' and ''tsubo'' are its equivalent Taiwanese and Japanese units, similarly based on a square '' bu'' ( ja:步) or '' ken'', equivalent to 36square Chinese or

Japanese feet or Japanese foot is a Japanese unit of length derived (but varying) from the Chinese , originally based upon the distance measured by a human hand from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the forefinger (compare span). Traditionally, the length ...

''Pyeong''

In Korea, the period of Japanese occupation produced a ''pyeong'' of or 3.3058m². It is the standard traditional measure for

real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more genera ...

, with an average

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air ...

reckoned as about 25''pyeong'', a

studio apartment A studio apartment, also known as a studio flat ( UK), a self-contained apartment (Nigeria), efficiency apartment, bed-sitter (Kenya) or bachelor apartment, is a small apartment (rarely a condo) in which the normal functions of a number of ...

as 8–12py, and a

garret A garret is a habitable attic, a living space at the top of a house or larger residential building, traditionally, small, dismal, and cramped, with sloping ceilings. In the days before elevators this was the least prestigious position in a bui ...

as 1½py. In

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, the unit has been officially banned since 1961 but with little effect prior to the criminalization of its commercial use effective 1 July 2007.. Informal use continues, however, including in the form of real estate use of unusual fractions of meters equivalent to unit amounts of ''pyeong''. Real estate listings on major websites such as Daum show measurements in square meters with the ''pyeong'' equivalent.

''Ping''

In Taiwan, the Taiwanese ''ping'' remains in fairly common use and is about 3.306m². In

mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater Chin ...

, the

metrication Metrication or metrification is the act or process of converting to the metric system of measurement. All over the world, countries have transitioned from local and traditional units of measurement to the metric system. This process began in F ...

of traditional units would produce a ''ping'' of 4m², but it is almost unknown, with most

simply reckoned in square meters. The longer length of the

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg mad ...

produces a larger ''ping'' of almost 5m², but it is similarly uncommon.

''Tsubo''

In Japan, the usual measure of real estate floorspace is the ''

tatami A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Tatamis are made in standard sizes, twice as long as wide, about 0.9 m by 1.8 m depending on the region. In martial arts, tatami are the floor used for train ...

'' and the ''tsubo'' is reckoned as two ''tatami''. The ''tatami'' varies by region but the modern standard is usually taken to be the

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most p ...

''tatami'' of about 1.653m², producing a ''tsubo'' of 3.306m². It is sometimes reckoned as comprising 10 gō.

References

{{Reflist Systems of units Units of area Korean culture

''Pyeong''

''Ping''

''Tsubo''

See also

References