ühiku

Ühik (genitive ühiku) is an Estonian noun meaning unit, a standard quantity within a system of measurement or a single element of a set. It is used in science, mathematics, engineering, and everyday language to denote one item among many. The term is related to other Finnic words for “unit,” such as the Estonian üksus (entity or unit) and Finnish yksikkö, though the exact form varies between languages.

In measurement contexts, ühik refers to a base or derived unit in a system of quantities, such as length, mass, or time. In information technology and data processing, it can denote a unit of data or a modular component within a larger dataset or system. Common compound forms include mõõtühik (measurement unit) and SI-ühik (unit of the International System of Units). Many such compounds are written as single words in Estonian.

Usage notes: when counting items, numbers are typically followed by the genitive form, for example “5 ühikut.” The word can also indicate a single element within a larger collection, for instance in phrases like “koodide ühikud” (code units) or “komponendi ühik.”

Grammar: ühik is declined like a standard Estonian noun. Singular forms include nominative ühik, genitive ühiku, and partitive ühikut; plural nominative ühikud and genitive ühikute. The word is commonly used in technical, scientific, and academic texts as well as in everyday language.