a unit of weight equal to 100 catties, about 133 pounds (60 kilograms), used in various countries of Southeast Asia
Origin:
< Malay (or Javanese) pikul, lit., a man's load < pikul, to carry over the shoulders
See picul in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Any of various units of weight used in southeast Asia and China and equal to 100 catties, especially a Chinese unit equal to 133 1/3 pounds (about 60 kilograms).
Origin:
Origin: Malay pikul, to carry the heaviest load a man can carry