Tael
Also: Tahil, Liang, 兩
The tael is a traditional East Asian unit of weight for precious metals whose exact mass varies by region, ranging from approximately 37.4 g to 37.8 g.
The tael (also tahil or Chinese liang 兩) is one of the oldest units of weight in East Asia and is still used today in the precious metals trade of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. Historically it served as a weight-based currency unit for silver – comparable to the European troy ounce – and later became established as a standard size for gold bars.
Regional Variants
A key characteristic of the tael is its lack of international standardisation. Each trading centre uses a different weight:
| Region | Weight |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong | 37.4290 g |
| Taiwan | 37.5000 g |
| China (metric, since 1959) | 50.0000 g |
| Singapore | ≈ 37.4290 g |
Anyone comparing tael bars from different origins must therefore always verify the regional definition. The Unit Converter assists with converting to grams or troy ounces.
Tael Gold Bars in Hong Kong
On the Hong Kong market, so-called tael bars (also biscuit bars) are widely traded. They are typically available in denominations of 1, 2, 5, and 10 tael and usually carry a fineness of 990 ‰ (99.0 %) – slightly below the 999.9 ‰ standard common for European bars. The gross weight of a 1-tael bar is 37.4290 g; the fine weight is calculated as follows:
Fine weight = Gross weight × Fineness
Example: 37.4290 g × 0.990 = 37.055 g fine gold
To calculate the current melt value, use the Melt Value Calculator.
Historical Significance
Until well into the 20th century, the tael was the principal unit of account for silver across much of East Asia. The Chinese silver tael (kuping tael) served, among other things, as the basis for trade treaties and reparation payments in the 19th century. With the introduction of the metric system in the People's Republic of China (1959), the liang was fixed at exactly 50 g, while Hong Kong and Taiwan retained the older definition.
Distinction from Related Units
- Troy ounce: 31.1035 g – the international trading unit for precious metals
- Tola: 11.6638 g – South Asian unit, used primarily on the Indian gold market
- Gram: SI base unit, most widely used in Europe and globally
In global comparison, 1 Hong Kong tael equals approximately 1.2034 troy ounces.
Key Takeaway
The tael is not a uniform measure – its weight depends on the region. Anyone buying or selling East Asian tael bars should always verify the origin definition and fineness and cross-reference with the current gold price.