縮尺

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 縮尺 (しゅくしゃく) is a noun for the scale used to reduce or represent actual dimensions by a fixed ratio.
• Basic usage: It expresses the relationship between represented and real size on maps, plans, and models.
  • 地図の縮尺を見て実際の距離を計算した。 — We calculated the actual distance using the map's scale.
  • この模型は建物を同じ縮尺で再現している。 — This model reproduces the buildings at the same scale.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Size versus ratio
  • 縮尺 does not merely mean small size; it names the ratio between an object and its representation. 同じ縮尺で means at the same scale.