‘厘米’ (lí mǐ) is the standard Chinese term for ‘centimeter’, a metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter. The character 厘 (lí) means ‘a tenth of a millimeter’ or more generally ‘a small unit’ in traditional Chinese measurement, while 米 (mǐ) means ‘meter’—the base SI unit of length. Together, they form a compound noun that literally conveys ‘one-hundredth part of a meter’. It is used exclusively in scientific, educational, and everyday contexts involving measurement—such as describing height, object dimensions, or distances on maps or blueprints.

This unit is widely taught in Chinese schools and appears frequently in textbooks, product specifications (e.g., clothing sizes), weather reports (rainfall depth), and medical records (e.g., tumor size). Unlike some older Chinese units (like 寸 cùn), 厘米 is fully aligned with the international metric system and carries no regional or stylistic variation—it is standard across Mainland China, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese communities.