Dekagram (dag)
The dekagram (also spelled decagram or decagramme) is a metric unit of mass equal to 10 grams. Abbreviated as "dag", it is one of the few intermediate metric units that has found a genuine everyday niche: in Austria and parts of Central Europe, the dekagram (locally called "Deka" or "Deko") is the standard unit for buying deli meats, cheese, and sausages.
Definition
One dekagram equals exactly 10 grams, 0.01 kilograms, 10,000 milligrams, or approximately 0.353 ounces. There are 100 dekagrams in a kilogram. The dekagram is formed by applying the SI prefix "deka-" (ten) to the gram.
History
The dekagram was established as part of the metric system during the French Revolution, formed by the prefix "deka-" (ten) applied to the gram. While most countries skipped the dekagram in favor of grams and kilograms, Austria and parts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire adopted it for everyday food trade. In Austrian German, "10 Deka Schinken" (100 grams of ham) is standard deli counter language. This regional adoption makes the dekagram one of the rare "in-between" metric units with genuine daily use.
Common Uses
In Austria, the dekagram ("Deka") is the standard unit at deli counters, butcher shops, and cheese shops. Customers order "15 Deka Schinken" (150 grams of ham) or "20 Deka Emmentaler" (200 grams of Emmental cheese). Some Czech and Hungarian food markets also use the dekagram. Outside Central Europe, the dekagram is virtually unknown in everyday commerce, with grams and kilograms serving all purposes.
Did You Know? Facts About Dekagram
- In Austria, ordering at the deli counter in grams instead of Deka marks you as a foreigner.
- "10 Deka" (100 grams) is the most common portion size at Austrian deli counters.
- The dekagram is one of the very few "in-between" metric units (deci-, centi-, deka-, hecto-) that has genuine everyday use anywhere in the world.
- A standard chicken egg weighs about 6 dekagrams (60 grams).
- The dekagram survived in Austria partly because the Austro-Hungarian Empire standardized food weights in dekagrams during the 19th century.