Convert Centimeters to Inches
Convert Centimeters to Inches instantly. 1 Centimeter (cm) equals 0.3937 Inches (in).
Centimeters to Inches conversion table
| Centimeters (cm) | Inches (in) |
|---|---|
| 1 cm | 0.3937 in |
| 2 cm | 0.7874 in |
| 3 cm | 1.1811 in |
| 5 cm | 1.9685 in |
| 10 cm | 3.937 in |
| 20 cm | 7.874 in |
| 50 cm | 19.685 in |
| 100 cm | 39.3701 in |
| 500 cm | 196.8504 in |
| 1,000 cm | 393.7008 in |
1 Centimeter = 0.3937 Inches · multiply Centimeters by 0.3937
About converting Centimeters to Inches
Centimeters (cm) and Inches (in) are both units of length, so converting between them is a single multiplication: multiply your Centimeters figure by 0.3937. Ten Centimeters comes to 3.937 Inches, and a hundred works out at 39.3701 Inches.
Rule of thumb: going from Centimeters to Inches divides, so the figure always shrinks — it takes about 2.54 Centimeters to make a single Inch. If your answer came out bigger, you have the conversion the wrong way round.
What is a Centimeter?
A centimeter is one hundredth of a meter. It is the everyday metric unit for body measurements, paper sizes, furniture and anything else you would reach for a ruler to check — small enough to be precise about a person’s height without resorting to decimals, large enough that you are not counting hundreds of them. Most of the world lists height in centimeters rather than feet and inches, so 180 cm is instantly readable as "about six foot" to a large part of the planet.
What is an Inch?
An inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters — a rare case where an imperial and a metric unit line up on a tidy number, because the inch was redefined in terms of the meter rather than the other way round. It has quietly outlived most imperial units by attaching itself to technology: screen sizes, wheel and tyre diameters, plumbing pipe, and screw threads are specified in inches worldwide, so even in thoroughly metric countries people buy a 15-inch laptop and 17-inch wheels.
To put both in perspective: a standard credit card is 8.56 centimeters wide, while an inch is about the width of an adult thumb.
The converter above updates as you type, and the table lists common values for quick reference. Need the opposite direction? Use the Inches to Centimeters converter, or browse all Length converters.
Frequently asked questions
How many Inches are in one Centimeter?
There are 0.3937 Inches in one Centimeter.
How do I convert Centimeters to Inches?
Multiply the number of Centimeters by 0.3937. For example, 10 Centimeters = 3.937 Inches.
What is 100 Centimeters in Inches?
100 Centimeters is equal to 39.3701 Inches.
How do I convert Inches to Centimeters?
Multiply the Inches value by 2.54 (or divide by 0.3937).
Is this Centimeters to Inches conversion exact?
The definition is exact — Centimeters and Inches are both fixed against the same base by international agreement — but the decimal shown here is rounded for readability, because the true ratio does not terminate. For engineering or scientific work, carry more decimal places than this page displays.
What is a Centimeter?
A centimeter is one hundredth of a meter. It is the everyday metric unit for body measurements, paper sizes, furniture and anything else you would reach for a ruler to check — small enough to be precise about a person’s height without resorting to decimals, large enough that you are not counting hundreds of them. Most of the world lists height in centimeters rather than feet and inches, so 180 cm is instantly readable as "about six foot" to a large part of the planet.
What is an Inch?
An inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters — a rare case where an imperial and a metric unit line up on a tidy number, because the inch was redefined in terms of the meter rather than the other way round. It has quietly outlived most imperial units by attaching itself to technology: screen sizes, wheel and tyre diameters, plumbing pipe, and screw threads are specified in inches worldwide, so even in thoroughly metric countries people buy a 15-inch laptop and 17-inch wheels.