How to Pronounce tael

Meaning and Context

The tael, a traditional unit of weight and currency with deep historical roots, is a fundamental concept in the economic and cultural history of East and Southeast Asia. While the term broadly refers to several regional weight measures, it is most commonly associated with the Chinese tael, known as the liǎng (两) in Mandarin. Historically, one tael was equivalent to approximately 37.5 grams of silver and served not merely as a measure for precious metals but as the cornerstone of the Chinese silver weight currency system, influencing trade across the region for centuries. Its usage extended beyond commerce into the weighing of medicines, herbs, and metals in Chinese apothecaries and markets. The tael's legacy persists in modern contexts, notably in the trade of gold and silver bullion in Hong Kong and among Chinese diaspora communities, and it remains a key term for historians studying the silver trade, Asian weights and measures, and traditional Chinese currency. The Hong Kong tael, still used in precious metal markets, is legally defined as 37.79936375 grams, a precise modern incarnation of this ancient unit.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary English transliteration "tael" is the most widely accepted spelling, derived from the Portuguese tahil or Malay tahil, which in turn originated from regional languages. Common alternative spellings include "tahil" and the less frequent "tail." A frequent error is the misspelling as "tale," confusing the weight unit with a story or narrative due to identical pronunciation. In historical or regional contexts, one may also encounter "tehl" or "tahe," though these are archaic. It is important to note that the Chinese character 两 is romanized as liǎng in pinyin, which is not an alternative spelling for "tael" but the native term for the Chinese unit itself. When writing, careful attention should be paid to distinguish "tael" from "tall," another simple typographical error that can occur.

Example Sentences

The merchant carefully weighed the gold dust using a finely calibrated beam balance, ensuring the transaction amounted to exactly five tael as agreed.

In historical accounts of the Maritime Silk Road, large settlements were often made in silver tael, transported in the form of sycee ingots.

Modern gold shops in Hong Kong often list their prices per tael alongside prices per troy ounce for international customers.

The traditional recipe called for one tael of ginseng root, a measure still understood by practitioners of herbal medicine.

Scholars note that the treaty indemnity imposed after the First Opium War was calculated in millions of silver tael, placing a tremendous burden on the Qing dynasty's finances.

When comparing antique Chinese coins, it's useful to remember that a standard "sycee" silver shoe might weigh ten tael.

Related Pronunciations

• How to pronounce uttered
• How to pronounce occasionally
• How to pronounce techniques
• How to pronounce rhymes
• How to pronounce fallout