Convert chinese dou to imperial gallons easily.
1 斗 x 2.199692 = 2.199692 Imp gal
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Ever tried following a 19th-century Chinese recipe only to scratch your head at "5 dou of rice"? Or maybe you’re comparing historical grain trade data across British and Chinese archives. Either way, converting between the traditional Chinese dou and Imperial gallons doesn’t have to feel like deciphering ancient scrolls. Let’s bridge these two measurement worlds with a dash of history and a pinch of practical math.
Unit definitions
What is a chinese dou (斗)?
Description:
The dou (pronounced "doh") is a traditional Chinese dry volume unit, deeply rooted in agricultural practices. Think of it as the Asian cousin to the Western bushel.
Symbol: 斗
Common uses: Measuring grains, rice, and seeds in markets and historical records.
Definition: 1 dou = 10 liters exactly since China’s 1984 metrication. Pre-metric dou values varied by dynasty, but modern conversions use the 10-liter standard.
What is an imperial gallon (Imp gal)?
Description:
The Imperial gallon is the UK’s standard liquid and dry volume unit, still used for fuel efficiency (miles per gallon) and beer sales.
Symbol: Imp gal
Common uses: Measuring liquids like milk, beer, and gasoline in Commonwealth countries.
Definition: 1 Imp gal = 4.54609 liters, based on the volume of 10 pounds of water at 62°F.
Conversion formula
Dou to Imperial gallons:
Imp gal = dou × (10 / 4.54609) ≈ dou × 2.199692
Imperial gallons to dou:
dou = Imp gal ÷ 2.199692
Example calculations
- 5 dou to Imperial gallons:
5 × 2.199692 = 10.9985 Imp gal - 20 Imperial gallons to dou:
20 ÷ 2.199692 ≈ 9.0921 dou
Conversion tables
Chinese dou to imperial gallons
| Dou (斗) | Imperial gallons |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.1997 |
| 2 | 4.3994 |
| 3 | 6.5991 |
| 4 | 8.7988 |
| 5 | 10.9985 |
| 10 | 21.9969 |
| 20 | 43.9938 |
| 50 | 109.9846 |
Imperial gallons to chinese dou
| Imperial gallons | Dou (斗) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.4546 |
| 2 | 0.9092 |
| 5 | 2.2730 |
| 10 | 4.5461 |
| 20 | 9.0922 |
| 50 | 22.7305 |
Historical context
The dou’s history stretches back over 2,000 years to China’s Qin dynasty. Originally based on the volume of millet that filled a bronze vessel, it fluctuated until the Ming dynasty (aprox. 1368–1644) loosely standardized it. Meanwhile, the Imperial gallon emerged from Britain’s 1824 Weights and Measures Act, replacing ale and wine gallons. Fun twist: both units were tools for tax collection—grains for the dou, alcohol for the gallon.
Interesting facts?
- Cultural longevity: Some Chinese supermarkets still price rice per dou alongside kilogram labels.
- Beer connection: UK pubs serve draught beer in Imperial pints (1/8th of a gallon).
- Metric middle ground: Both units now route through liters for international trade.
- Size matters: 1 dou of rice weighs ~7.5 kg—about what an adult panda eats daily.
- Global oddity: The Imperial gallon is 20% larger than its US counterpart.
FAQ
While China officially uses metric measurements, the dou persists in rural markets for grains and agricultural products.
The Imperial gallon (4.546 L) was defined in 1824 UK law, while the US gallon (3.785 L) stems from older English wine gallons.
Our tool uses exact metric equivalents, ensuring precision within 0.001% for standard measurements.
Traditionally rice, wheat, and other dry goods. Modern use includes historical recipes and cultural references.
Absolutely! Use our calculator’s reverse function by switching the unit fields.