tael

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tael

 (tāl)
n.
1. Any of various units of weight used in eastern Asia, roughly equivalent to 38 grams (1 1/3 ounces).
2. A unit of currency formerly used in China, equivalent in value to this weight of standard silver.

[Portuguese, from Malay tahil, probably from Javanese, from Old Javanese tahil, to weigh.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tael

(teɪl)
n
1. (Units) a unit of weight, used in the Far East, having various values between one to two and a half ounces
2. (Currencies) (formerly) a Chinese monetary unit equivalent in value to a tael weight of standard silver
[C16: from Portuguese, from Malay tahil weight, perhaps from Hindi tolā weight of a new rupee, from Sanskrit tulā weight]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tael

(teɪl)

n.
1. liang.
2. any of various units of weight in the Far East.
3. a former Chinese money of account equal in value to a tael of silver.
[1580–90; < Portuguese < Malay tahil liang]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.tael - a unit of weight used in east Asia approximately equal to 1.3 ounces
weight unit, weight - a unit used to measure weight; "he placed two weights in the scale pan"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in periodicals archive ?
Their art subjects have included flora, fauna, insects, landscape and portraits painted on media such as lanterns, Chinese fans, porcelain plates, ceramic taels and rice paper.
It is even older than most of the Chinese system built by the French, British and German consortia, which were extorting contracts from a weakened China after it lost the First Sino-Japanese war of 1895.That is how China got its 10,300km of new railway systems within a few years as it mortgaged its national sovereignty at a time when it was almost bankrupted by the 450 million silver taels ($330 million) fine to Japan.Kenya Railways was, in its dying days, badly run.
In financial terms, the defeat represented a true financial disaster for China, as the total war reparations for Japan as victors came to 230 million Kuping taels, roughly 35 [pounds sterling] million, an astronomical sum at the time, which Beijing had to pay in six repayments by 1901.
Spending on infrastructure projects of over 500 taels of silver had to receive approval from the central government in advance.
The normal fare was between six and seven taels of gold, but because theirs was an emergency sale, the cost doubled.
The three kings remained 27 days and when they were about to return, each of them got silk with patterns, 300 pieces of plain silk, 10,000 taels in paper money, 2,000 strings of cash, one robe embroidered with golden snakes, one with dragons, and one with kilins (mythical creatures with features of a horned-dragon, body of an ox or horse, and hooves).
"We sell around 200 taels of gold on a daily basis, which is nowhere near the peak of a few years ago," she said.
Ultimately China's seizure of opium shipments without compensation led to two wars that Britain handily won, resulting in its garnering 21 million taels of silver, five new Chinese ports of commerce, and the cession of Hong Kong.
1735-99) personally oversaw the restoration of imperial order, an effort requiring nearly two years, 180,000 troops, and a staggering expense of some 20 million taels. (13)