Chittack

/tʃɪˈtæk/ noun

Definition

A unit of weight used in India and East Asia, equal to about one-sixteenth of a pound or approximately 56 grams.

Etymology

From Hindi 'chhatāk,' derived from Sanskrit 'chataka.' This term was used throughout the Indian subcontinent and adopted by English traders and administrators.

Kelly Says

The chittack is a ghost of global trade—this unit shows how Indian weight measurements became standardized through colonial commerce, and traces of it still appear in spice weights and traditional Indian recipes.

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