How to Compare Paper Sizes? In addition to commonly used A4 and B5 sizes, what are C-series, Chou-ban, and 4R sizes? When you want to print documents, produce items, or customize books, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the various paper sizes, unsure of how to convert between them. Don’t worry! Let the following article guide you through the sizes of different paper specifications, providing a comparison table for your reference. This will help you easily understand and navigate through the diverse world of paper sizes!
Table of Contents
TogglePaper Size Specifications Introduction
To understand the various dimensions of paper, it’s essential to first grasp that paper sizes are categorized into two main series:
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ISO International Standard Spec
Established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the paper sizes include the A series (A0, A1, A2, A3, etc.), B series (B0, B1, B2, B3, etc.), and C series (C0, C1, C2, C3, etc.). The method of determining their dimensions is quite straightforward; you simply need to remember that each size is half the size of the previous one. For instance, A1 is half the size of A0, A2 is half the size of A1, and so forth.
- Common Specifications in Taiwan
In Taiwan, when buying paper from stores, you often see specifications such as “全開” (full-open) and “半開” (half-open). These specifications are known as Chrysanthemum Edition (G edition) and 4×6 edition, both of which have been used since the Japanese colonial period. Among them, the Chrysanthemum Edition is similar in size to the ISO A series, while the 4×6 edition is closer to the ISO B series.
💡 Reminder: To comply with ISO international standards or accommodate the dimensions of printed materials, various manufacturers may make slight adjustments to the sizes of Chrysanthemum Edition (G edition) and 4×6 edition. Therefore, sizes may vary slightly among different manufacturers, and careful attention is advised when making comparisons.
Paper Size Comparison Chart: A, B, C Series, Chrysanthemum Edition, 4×6 Edition – Understand at a Glance!
After understanding the classification of paper sizes, let’s now take a direct look at the detailed size comparison chart of paper dimensions.
A comprehensive overview of ISO standard specifications, effortlessly grasping the dimensions of A0, A1, A3, A4, and A5 paper sizes.
Spec | A Series(mm) | B Series (mm) | C Series(mm) |
Dimensional Diagram | |||
0 | 841 x 1189 | 1000 x 1414 | 917 x 1297 |
1 | 594 x 841 | 707 x 1000 | 648 x 917 |
2 | 420 x 594 | 500 x 707 | 458 x 648 |
3 | 297 x 420 | 353 x 500 | 324 x 458 |
4 | 210 x 297 | 250 x 353 | 229 x 324 |
5 | 148 x 210 | 176 x 250 | 162 x 229 |
6 | 105 x 148 | 125 x 176 | 114 x 162 |
7 | 74 x 105 | 88 x 125 | 81 x 114 |
8 | 52 x 74 | 62 x 88 | 57 x 81 |
9 | 37 x 52 | 44 x 62 | 40 x 57 |
10 | 26 x 37 | 31 x 44 | 28 x 40 |
Common paper sizes in Taiwan, such as 8K and 16K, are now made easy to understand.
Chrysanthemum Edition | centimeters | 4×6 edition | centimeters |
G1K | 63.5 x 88.9 | 1K | 78.7 x 109.2 |
G2K | 44.45 x 63.5 | 2K | 54.6 x 78.7 |
G4K | 31.75 x 44.45 | 4K | 39.4 x 54.6 |
G8K | 22.23 x 31.75 | 8K | 27.3 x 39.4 |
G16K | 15.88 x 22.23 | 16K | 19.69 x 27.3 |
G32K | 11.18 x 15.88 | 32K | 13.67 x 19.69 |
G64K | 7.95 x 11.18 | 64K | 9.86 x 13.67 |
G128K | 5.59 x 7.95 | 128K | 6.83 x 9.98 |
How to convert A4, B5, 8K, and 16K? A comprehensive paper-size conversion chart.
However, with so many paper-size specifications, can they be converted to each other? As mentioned above, the Chrysanthemum Edition specifications are closer to the ISO A series, while the 4×6 edition is closer to the ISO B series. Therefore, for a quick reference, the more common size conversions are approximately as follows:
Common Sizes | Chrysanthemum Edition | 4×6 edition |
A4 | G8K | 10K |
A5 | G16K | 25K |
A6 | G36K | 49K |
B4 | G4K | 8K |
B5 | G8K | 16K |
B6 | G25K | 36K |
A must-read for printing and design professionals! Analysis of Common Paper Sizes and Their Applications.
So, where are the various sizes of paper mentioned above mostly used? What size are the books we commonly read? Let’s break down the common applications of different paper sizes.
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A Series ➜ Documents, books, and magazines.
A common practice when printing documents is to use A-series sizes, such as A4 and A5. Additionally, the A-series sizes are commonly employed in the production of books, manuals, and magazines.
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B Series ➜ Posters and commercial advertisements
The B-series sizes are commonly utilized for posters, art paper, and the production of commercial advertisements. Additionally, B5 is a frequently used paper size for printing purposes.
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C Series ➜ Envelope
The C-series sizes are primarily used for producing envelopes and can correspond to A-series size stationery. For example, if the stationery size is A4, you can choose a C4-sized envelope. If you want to fold the stationery in half and place it in the envelope (resulting in an A5 size), you can opt for a C5-sized envelope.
When is it necessary to convert paper sizes? Common Questions about Paper Sizes
The above provides a detailed reference and conversion table for various paper sizes. However, faced with numerous size specifications, we understand that there may still be some questions. Therefore, in conclusion, we have compiled two major Q&A sections related to paper sizes to help address any lingering doubts!
Q1:What is 4「K」、8「K」?
In general, the term “K” refers to the number of smaller paper sheets that can be produced from a larger sheet when fully opened. For example, when we mention A5 size (25K), it means that from a fully opened sheet of 31″ x 43″, 25 smaller sheets of A5 size can be obtained. If we convert this to the Chrysanthemum Edition size, from a fully opened sheet of 25″ x 35″, only 16 smaller sheets can be produced, hence it is referred to as G16K.
Q2:With numerous paper size specifications, which one is more suitable for discussion with manufacturers when producing products?
Due to the different dimensions of each specification, including variations in standards such as American and Japanese specifications, discussions with others may lead to misunderstandings due to the use of different standards. Therefore, when communicating with others or manufacturers, it is recommended to describe dimensions in centimeters to minimize the risk of misunderstandings.
Have you gained a better understanding of various paper sizes? If you’re curious about the sizes of the notebooks you commonly use, we recommend referring to Leatai’s notebook size guide, which provides additional insights into paper-related knowledge!