English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun

kan

kahn
noun
1
A traditional Japanese unit of weight equal to roughly 3.75 kilograms (about 8.27 lb).
"Old Japanese scales were often calibrated in kan rather than kilograms."
2
In mahjong, a set of four identical tiles, or the call made to declare one.
"She called kan after drawing the fourth matching tile."

How to Use Kan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA Japanese weight measurement, or (in mahjong) a set of four matching tiles.

Word Forms

kan plural, kans plural, kans plural, Kans plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “kan” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Old Japanese scales were often calibrated in _____ rather than kilograms.

Etymology

From Japanese kan, a traditional unit of weight.

Rhymes for kan

See all rhymes for kan →
Definitions: FreeDict original editorial