巻尺(まきじゃく)

巻尺(まきじゃく) is a tape measure — a flexible measuring tape that winds into a case. Formation: 巻(ま)き 'winding' + 尺(しゃく), the old unit of length that came to mean 'measure' generally.

In everyday speech メジャー (from English 'measure') is at least as common as 巻尺(まきじゃく), which sounds slightly technical or written.

Two kinds, used by different trades:

• 裁縫(さいほう)用(よう): the soft cloth or vinyl tape used in sewing and for body measurements
• 工事(こうじ)用(よう): the stiff steel tape that locks and springs back, used on building sites

Collocations

• 巻尺(まきじゃく)で測(はか)る: to measure with a tape measure
• 巻尺(まきじゃく)を伸(の)ばす: to extend the tape
• 巻尺(まきじゃく)を巻(ま)き戻(もど)す: to retract it