Gold Tael Converter — HK Tael & Chinese Tael to Grams & Ounces
A tael is the historical Chinese gold weight unit, still used in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and parts of mainland China for retail bullion pricing. There are two distinct tael standards: the Hong Kong tael = 37.429 g (used at the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society in HK), and the Chinese mainland tael = 31.25 g (closer to a troy ounce). Using the wrong one creates a 20% valuation error.
This converter handles both — pick HK or Chinese tael, enter the weight, and get gram, troy ounce, tola and pennyweight equivalents plus the money value at the live international XAU/USD spot rate.
How the conversion works
HK tael × 37.429 = grams. Chinese tael × 31.25 = grams. Then: troy oz = grams ÷ 31.1035, tola = grams ÷ 11.664. Example: 5 HK tael = 5 × 37.429 = 187.145 g = 6.017 troy oz = 16.044 tola.
Sample conversions
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 HK tael (兩) | 37.429 g = 1.203 troy oz = 3.208 tola |
| 1 Chinese tael | 31.250 g = 1.004 troy oz = 2.679 tola |
| 10 HK tael | 374.290 g = 12.034 troy oz |
| 5 Chinese tael | 156.250 g = 5.023 troy oz |
| 1 candareen (1/100 HK tael) | 0.3743 g |
When to use this calculator
- Hong Kong retail bullion — Bank of China, HSBC and Chiyu Bank quote per-HK-tael for retail bars.
- Taiwanese gold trading — Bank of Taiwan gold passbooks denominated in Chinese tael.
- Singapore Chinatown gold shops — quote in HK tael for tradition; international price benchmark is per troy oz.
- Estate clearance — vintage Chinese family gold jewellery often inscribed with tael weight.
Frequently asked questions
Which tael does the gold-shop in Hong Kong use?
The HK tael (37.429 g). It is the standard at the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society (the HK gold bourse) and at all licensed bullion banks in Hong Kong. The "Chinese tael" (31.25 g) is mostly used on the mainland for historical/cultural references.
Why are there two different tael weights?
The HK tael (兩, 37.429 g) descends from the British colonial-era Hong Kong Weights and Measures Ordinance of 1885, which fixed tael at 1.20 troy oz. The mainland Chinese tael was metricated to 50 g in 1959 under the PRC, then revised to 31.25 g (closer to the troy oz) for gold-trade convenience.