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{{short description|100,000 (1,00,000 in Indian numbering)}}
{{Short description|100,000 (1,00,000 in Indian numbering)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
A '''lakh''' ({{IPAc-en|l|æ|k|,_|l|ɑː|k}}; abbreviated '''L'''; sometimes written '''lac'''<ref name="Rowlett_2008">{{cite dictionary|title=lakh |encyclopedia=How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement |author-first=Russ |author-last=Rowlett |publisher=[[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] |date=2008-12-15 |orig-year=1998 |access-date=2016-08-29 |url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictL.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702030033/http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictL.html |archive-date=2016-07-02 }}</ref>) is a unit in the [[Indian numbering system]] equal to [[one hundred thousand]] (100,000; [[scientific notation]]:&nbsp;10<sup>5</sup>).<ref name="Rowlett_2008"/><ref name="OED1">{{OED1|lakh}}</ref> <!--The commas here are in their proper place. Please do not change to 1,00,000-->  In the [[Indian numbering system|Indian]] 2,2,3 convention of [[Indian numbering system#Use of separators|digit grouping]], it is written as 1,00,000.<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Lakh |volume=16 |page=94}}</ref>  For example, in India 150,000 [[Indian rupee|rupees]] becomes 1.5 ''lakh'' rupees, written as {{INR}}1,50,000 or INR&nbsp;1,50,000.


It is widely used both in official and other contexts in [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], [[India]], [[Myanmar]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Sri Lanka]]. It is often used in [[Indian English|Indian]], [[Bangladeshi English|Bangladeshi]], [[Pakistani English|Pakistani]], and [[Sri Lankan English]].
A '''lakh''' ({{IPAc-en|l|æ|k|,_|l|ɑː|k}}; abbreviated '''L'''; sometimes written '''lac'''<ref name="Rowlett_2008">{{cite dictionary|title=lakh |encyclopedia=How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement |author-first=Russ |author-last=Rowlett |publisher=[[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] |date=15 December 2008 |orig-year=1998 |access-date=29 August 2016 |url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictL.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702030033/http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictL.html |archive-date=2 July 2016 }}</ref>) is a unit in the [[Indian numbering system]] equal to [[100,000|one hundred thousand]] (100,000; [[scientific notation]]:&nbsp;10<sup>5</sup>).<ref name="Rowlett_2008"/><ref name="OED1">{{OED1|lakh}}</ref> <!--The commas here are in their proper place. Please do not change to 1,00,000--> In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of [[Indian numbering system#Use of separators|digit grouping]], it is written as 1,00,000.<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Lakh |volume=16 |page=94}}</ref> For example, in India, 150,000 [[Indian rupee|rupees]] becomes 1.5 ''lakh'' rupees, written as {{INR}}1,50,000 or INR&nbsp;1,50,000.
 
It is widely used both in official and other contexts in [[Afghanistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], [[India]], [[Myanmar]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Sri Lanka]]. It is often used in [[Bangladeshi English|Bangladeshi]], [[Indian English|Indian]], [[Pakistani English|Pakistani]], and [[Sri Lankan English]].


==Usage==
==Usage==
In [[Indian English]], the word is used both as an [[Noun adjunct|attributive]] and non-attributive noun with either an unmarked or marked ("-s") plural, respectively. For example: "1 ''lakh'' people"; "''lakhs'' of people"; "20 ''lakh'' [[rupee]]s"; "''lakhs'' of rupees". In the abbreviated form, usage such as "{{INR|link=Indian rupee}}5L" or "{{INR|link=Indian rupee}}5 lac" (for "5 ''lakh'' rupees") is common.{{citation needed|date=October 2013}} In this system of numeration, 100 ''lakh'' is called one ''[[crore]]''<ref name=EB1911/> and is equal to 10 million.
In [[Indian English]], the word is used both as an [[Noun adjunct|attributive]] and non-attributive noun with either an unmarked or marked ("-s") plural, respectively. For example: "1 ''lakh'' people"; "''lakhs'' of people"; "20 ''lakh'' [[rupee]]s"; "''lakhs'' of rupees". In the abbreviated form, usage such as "{{INR|link=Indian rupee}}5L" or "{{INR|link=Indian rupee}}5 lac" (for "5 ''lakh'' rupees") is common.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Posamentier|first1=Alfred S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FmPcDwAAQBAJ&dq=use+of+cr+%22crore%22+abbreviation&pg=PA478|title=Understanding Mathematics Through Problem Solving|last2=Poole|first2=Peter|date=23 March 2020|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-4663-69-4|language=en}}</ref> In this system of numeration, 100 ''lakh'' is called one ''[[crore]]''<ref name=EB1911/> and is equal to 10 million.


===Silver market===
===Silver market===
The term is also used in the pricing of silver on the international [[precious metal]]s market, where one ''lakh'' equals {{convert|100000|ozt|kg|lk=in|abbr=off}} of [[silver]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gilkes|first1=Paul|title=CME Group/Thomson Reuters step down from executing the London silver fix|url=http://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/2017/03/cme-group-thomson-reuters-out-of-silver-price-ficing.all.html|access-date=5 July 2017|date=3 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perthmint.com.au/education_uom.aspx|title=Units of Measure|work=perthmint.com.au|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref>
The term is also used in the pricing of silver on the international [[precious metal]]s market, where one ''lakh'' equals {{convert|100000|ozt|kg|lk=in|abbr=off}} of [[silver]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gilkes|first1=Paul|title=CME Group/Thomson Reuters step down from executing the London silver fix|url=http://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/2017/03/cme-group-thomson-reuters-out-of-silver-price-ficing.all.html|access-date=5 July 2017|date=3 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.perthmint.com.au/education_uom.aspx|title=Units of Measure|work=perthmint.com.au|access-date=6 September 2015|archive-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924071802/http://www.perthmint.com.au/education_uom.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Etymology and regional variants==
==Etymology and regional variants==
The modern word ''lakh'' represents {{lang-sa|lakṣa}} ([[Devanagari]]: [[:wikt:लक्ष|लक्ष]]), originally denoting "mark, target, stake in gambling", but also used as the numeral for "100,000" in [[Gupta Empire|Gupta-era]] Classical Sanskrit (''[[Yājñavalkya Smṛti]]'', ''[[Harivaṃśa]]'').<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?p.3:88.soas |archive-url=https://archive.is/20121215010456/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?p.3:88.soas |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-15 |title=lakṣá10881 |access-date=2010-08-22 |author-last=Turner |author-first=Sir Ralph Lilley |author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner |year=1985 |work="lakṣhá 10881" in: A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages. London: Oxford University Press, 1962-1966. Includes three supplements, published 1969-1985 |publisher=Digital South Asia Library, a project of the Center for Research Libraries and the University of Chicago |page=629 |quote= lakṣh masculine "stake, prize" R̥igved, "mark, sign" Mahābhārat, "100,000"  Yājñavalkya, "aim" Kālidās<!--, lakṣhya— neuter, masculine ʻ aim ʼ Muṇḍ Upaniṣhad, ʻ prize ʼ Mahābhārat, ʻ 100,000 ʼ Mahābhārat,  [√lakṣ. For derivation from root to become numeral, see Addenda: Pali lakkha— masculine ʻ mark, target, stake in gambling ʼ; Oṛiyā lākha, nākha ʻ aim, distinguishing mark ʼ, lācha ʻ brand ʼ; Gujarātī lāchɔ masculine ʻ burning the feet ʼ; Marāṭhī lās masculine ʻ mark made by cautery ʼ, neuter.-->] }}</ref>
The modern word ''lakh'' derives from {{lang-sa|लक्ष|translit=lakṣa}}, originally denoting "mark, target, stake in gambling", but also used as the numeral for "100,000" in [[Gupta Empire|Gupta-era]] Classical Sanskrit (''[[Yājñavalkya Smṛti]]'', ''[[Harivaṃśa]]'').<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?p.3:88.soas |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121215010456/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?p.3:88.soas |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 December 2012 |title=lakṣá10881 |access-date=22 August 2010 |author-last=Turner |author-first=Sir Ralph Lilley |author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner |year=1985 |work="lakṣhá 10881" in: A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages. London: Oxford University Press, 1962-1966. Includes three supplements, published 1969-1985 |publisher=Digital South Asia Library, a project of the Center for Research Libraries and the University of Chicago |page=629 |quote= lakṣh masculine "stake, prize" R̥igved, "mark, sign" Mahābhārat, "100,000"  Yājñavalkya, "aim" Kālidās<!--, lakṣhya— neuter, masculine ʻ aim ʼ Muṇḍ Upaniṣhad, ʻ prize ʼ Mahābhārat, ʻ 100,000 ʼ Mahābhārat,  [√lakṣ. For derivation from root to become numeral, see Addenda: Pali lakkha— masculine ʻ mark, target, stake in gambling ʼ; Oṛiyā lākha, nākha ʻ aim, distinguishing mark ʼ, lācha ʻ brand ʼ; Gujarātī lāchɔ masculine ʻ burning the feet ʼ; Marāṭhī lās masculine ʻ mark made by cautery ʼ, neuter.-->] }}</ref>
 
Another possible etymology comes from the root word for the [[lac]] bug, used to produce [[shellac]]. The word lakh is a unit in the [[Indian numbering system]] for {{formatnum:100000}} and presumably refers to the large number of insects that swarm on host trees, up to {{convert|150|/in2}}.<ref name=Berenbaum1993Page27>{{cite book|last1=Berenbaum|first1=May|title=Ninety-nine More Maggots, Mites, and Munchers|url=https://archive.org/details/ninetyninemorema00bere|url-access=registration|date=1993|publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=978-0-252-02016-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/ninetyninemorema00bere/page/27 27]}}</ref>


* In [[Assamese language|Assamese]]: {{lang|as|লক্ষ}} ''lokhyo'', or {{lang|as|লাখ}} ''lakh''
* In [[Assamese language|Assamese]]: {{lang|as|লক্ষ}} ''lokhyo'', or {{lang|as|লাখ}} ''lakh''
* In [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: natively (tadbhava) known as {{lang|bn|লাখ}} ''lākh'', though some use the ardha-tatsama {{lang|bn|লক্ষ}} ''lokkho''.
* In [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: natively (tadbhava) known as {{lang|bn|লাখ}} ''lākh'', though some use the ardha-tatsama {{lang|bn|লক্ষ}} ''lokkho''.
* In [[Hindi language|Hindi]]: {{Lang|he|लाख}} ''lākh''
* In [[Maldivian language|Dhivehi]]: ލައްކަ ''la'kha''
* In [[Maldivian language|Dhivehi]]: ލައްކަ ''la'kha''
* In [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]: {{lang|gu|લાખ}} ''lākh''
* In [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]: {{lang|gu|લાખ}} ''lākh''
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* In [[Khasi language|Khasi]]: ''lak''
* In [[Khasi language|Khasi]]: ''lak''
* In [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]: {{Lang|ml|ലക്ഷം}} ''laksham''
* In [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]]: {{Lang|ml|ലക്ഷം}} ''laksham''
* In [[Marathi language|Marathi]]: {{Lang|mr|लाख / लक्ष }} ''lākh''
* In [[Marathi language|Marathi]]: {{Lang|mr|लाख / लक्ष }} ''lākh/laksha''
* In [[Meitei language|Meitei]]: ꯂꯥꯛ ''lāk''
* In [[Meitei language|Meitei]]: ꯂꯥꯛ ''lāk''
* In [[Nepali language|Nepali]]: {{Lang|ne|लाख}} ''lākh''
* In [[Nepali language|Nepali]]: {{Lang|ne|लाख}} ''lākh''
* In [[Odia language|Odia]]: {{lang|or|ଲକ୍ଷ}} ''lakhya''
* In [[Odia language|Odia]]: {{lang|or|ଲକ୍ଷ}} ''lôkhyô''
* In [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: ([[Shahmukhi]]: {{lang|pa|{{nastaliq|لکھ}}}}, [[Gurmukhi]]: {{lang|pa|ਲੱਖ}}) ''lakkh''
* In [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: ([[Shahmukhi]]: {{lang|pa|{{nastaliq|لکھ}}}}, [[Gurmukhi]]: {{lang|pa|ਲੱਖ}}) ''lakkh''
* In [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]: {{lang|si|ලක්ෂ}} {{transl|si|lakṣa}}
* In [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]]: {{lang|si|ලක්ෂ}} {{transliteration|si|lakṣa}}
* In [[Tamil language|Tamil]]: {{Lang|ta|இலட்சம்}} ''ilatcham''
* In [[Tamil language|Tamil]]: {{Lang|ta|இலட்சம்}} ''latcham''
* In [[Telugu language|Telugu]]: {{Lang|te|లక్ష}} ''lakṣha''
* In [[Telugu language|Telugu]]: {{Lang|te|లక్ష}} ''laksha''
* In [[Urdu language|Urdu]]: {{lang|ur|{{nq|لاکھ}}}} ''lākh''
* In [[Urdu language|Urdu]]: {{lang|ur|{{nq|لاکھ}}}} ''lākh''


==See also==
==See also==
{{wiktionary|lakh}}
* [[Crore]] (100 lakh, or 10 million)
* [[Crore]]
* [[English numerals]]
* [[Myriad]]
* [[Myriad]]
* [[Names of large numbers]]
* [[Names of large numbers]]
* [[Names of numbers in English]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{cite web|last=IINRG|first=Ranchi|title=Government Organisation|url=http://ilri.ernet.in|access-date=22 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929175743/http://ilri.ernet.in/|archive-date=29 September 2018|url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite web|last=IINRG|first=Ranchi|title=Government Organisation|url=http://ilri.ernet.in/|access-date=22 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929175743/http://ilri.ernet.in/|archive-date=29 September 2018|url-status=dead}}


[[Category:Powers of ten]]
[[Category:Powers of ten]]
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[[Category:Bengali words and phrases]]
[[Category:Bengali words and phrases]]
[[Category:Customary units in India]]
[[Category:Customary units in India]]
[[Category:Nepali words and phrases]]

Revision as of 21:14, 9 August 2023



A lakh (/læk, lɑːk/; abbreviated L; sometimes written lac[1]) is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand (100,000; scientific notation: 105).[1][2] In the Indian 2,2,3 convention of digit grouping, it is written as 1,00,000.[3] For example, in India, 150,000 rupees becomes 1.5 lakh rupees, written as ₹1,50,000 or INR 1,50,000.

It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is often used in Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan English.

Usage

In Indian English, the word is used both as an attributive and non-attributive noun with either an unmarked or marked ("-s") plural, respectively. For example: "1 lakh people"; "lakhs of people"; "20 lakh rupees"; "lakhs of rupees". In the abbreviated form, usage such as "₹5L" or "₹5 lac" (for "5 lakh rupees") is common.[4] In this system of numeration, 100 lakh is called one crore[3] and is equal to 10 million.

Silver market

The term is also used in the pricing of silver on the international precious metals market, where one lakh equals 100,000 troy ounces (3,100 kilograms) of silver.[5][6]

Etymology and regional variants

The modern word lakh derives from Sanskrit: लक्ष, romanized: lakṣa, originally denoting "mark, target, stake in gambling", but also used as the numeral for "100,000" in Gupta-era Classical Sanskrit (Yājñavalkya Smṛti, Harivaṃśa).[7]

Another possible etymology comes from the root word for the lac bug, used to produce shellac. The word lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system for 100,000 and presumably refers to the large number of insects that swarm on host trees, up to 150 per square inch (23/cm2).[8]

  • In Assamese: লক্ষ lokhyo, or লাখ lakh
  • In Bengali: natively (tadbhava) known as লাখ lākh, though some use the ardha-tatsama লক্ষ lokkho.
  • In Hindi: लाख lākh
  • In Dhivehi: ލައްކަ la'kha
  • In Gujarati: લાખ lākh
  • In Kannada: ಲಕ್ಷ lakṣha
  • In Kashmiri: لَچھ lachh
  • In Khasi: lak
  • In Malayalam: ലക്ഷം laksham
  • In Marathi: लाख / लक्ष lākh/laksha
  • In Meitei: ꯂꯥꯛ lāk
  • In Nepali: लाख lākh
  • In Odia: ଲକ୍ଷ lôkhyô
  • In Punjabi: (Shahmukhi: لکھ, Gurmukhi: ਲੱਖ) lakkh
  • In Sinhala: ලක්ෂ lakṣa
  • In Tamil: இலட்சம் latcham
  • In Telugu: లక్ష laksha
  • In Urdu: لاکھ lākh

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rowlett, Russ (15 December 2008) [1998]. "lakh". How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Template:OED1
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lakh" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 94.
  4. ↑ Posamentier, Alfred S.; Poole, Peter (23 March 2020). Understanding Mathematics Through Problem Solving. World Scientific. ISBN 978-981-4663-69-4.
  5. ↑ Gilkes, Paul (3 July 2017). "CME Group/Thomson Reuters step down from executing the London silver fix". Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  6. ↑ "Units of Measure". perthmint.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  7. ↑ Turner, Sir Ralph Lilley (1985). "lakṣá10881". "lakṣhá 10881" in: A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages. London: Oxford University Press, 1962-1966. Includes three supplements, published 1969-1985. Digital South Asia Library, a project of the Center for Research Libraries and the University of Chicago. p. 629. Retrieved 22 August 2010. lakṣh masculine "stake, prize" R̥igved, "mark, sign" Mahābhārat, "100,000" Yājñavalkya, "aim" Kālidās]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ Berenbaum, May (1993). Ninety-nine More Maggots, Mites, and Munchers. University of Illinois Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-252-02016-2.

External links

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