km

Everyday

1. Km is the short way to write kilometre, a unit for long distances. 1 km is 1000 metres. tree →
2. Km/h or km per hour is a unit of speed: how many kilometres something goes in one hour. tree →
3. (casual, Australia, NZ, Canada) A «k» or «kay» is a kilometre in speech: «it's 5k to town», «a 10k run». tree →
4. (slang, military) A «klick» is a kilometre. tree →
5. (formal) In official writing km is often spelled out: «a distance of five kilometres». tree →
6. In some book references, KM is a short way of writing the title of Grimm's collection of German fairy tales. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, a unit of distance; with «per hour» a speed (distance = speed × time). In science and geography, distances between towns and on maps are given in km. In everyday life and safety: road signs, speed limits (in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland in km/h; in the USA and UK in miles). In sport: 5k and 10k fun runs. In casual talk the unit is often dropped («it's like 3 from here»). In the exam voice: «a distance of 3 kilometres is traversed». Phrases: «km away», «km per hour», «km/h», «a 5k», «k's» (Australia).

Examples

• The school is 3 km away. tree →
• He drives 60 km an hour. tree →
• She walked 5 km on Monday and 4 km on Tuesday. tree →
• How many metres are in 2 km? tree →
• The speed limit near the school is 40 km/h. tree →
• The marathon is about 42 km long. tree →
• The next town is 15 km away. tree →
• A brisk walk covers about 5 km in an hour. tree →
• ran a 5k this arvo, legs are dead (casual, Australia) tree →
• it's like 3 k's to the beach, we walking or what (casual) tree →
• 2 km?? in this heat? you're having a laugh (rough) tree →
• A cyclist traverses a distance of 18 km at a uniform speed of 12 km/h; determine the duration of the journey. (formal exam) tree →

Note

Write km with no s and no dot: 5 km, not 5 kms. Read it as «kilometres». British spelling kilometre, American kilometer. A unit; «km per hour» is a speed (distance = speed × time). Trap: change km and m to the same unit before adding. A mile is longer than a km (about 1.6 km). Casual «5k» in running means 5 km, but «5k» about money means 5000 dollars or pounds — read what it counts. Trap: in casual talk the unit may be left out; it is still km if the people use km.

In Jewish tradition

In maths, a unit of distance; with «per hour» a speed (distance = speed × time). In science and geography, distances between towns and on maps are given in km. In everyday life and safety: road signs, speed limits (in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland in km/h; in the USA and UK in miles). In sport: 5k and 10k fun runs. In casual talk the unit is often dropped («it's like 3 from here»). In the exam voice: «a distance of 3 kilometres is traversed». Phrases: «km away», «km per hour», «km/h», «a 5k», «k's» (Australia).

Examples

• This would indicate that the author km w also of an order of the vowel letters, as 'isy = 'ISSy = i, u, o, e, a. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Write km with no s and no dot: 5 km, not 5 kms. Read it as «kilometres». British spelling kilometre, American kilometer. A unit; «km per hour» is a speed (distance = speed × time). Trap: change km and m to the same unit before adding. A mile is longer than a km (about 1.6 km). Casual «5k» in running means 5 km, but «5k» about money means 5000 dollars or pounds — read what it counts. Trap: in casual talk the unit may be left out; it is still km if the people use km.