What is a Click? - Real Unit of Measurement?

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SUMMARY

A "click," often spelled "klick," is military slang for one kilometer. This term is widely used in military contexts, particularly in Canada and among military personnel, to describe distances. The discussion confirms that a klick is equivalent to one kilometer, with references to its use in military movies and maps. Additionally, the term has historical roots dating back to the Vietnam War era, where it was used to describe distances to targets.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of military terminology and slang.
  • Familiarity with metric units, specifically kilometers.
  • Knowledge of military map scales, such as 1:50,000 and 1:100,000.
  • Awareness of the cultural context of military language in Canada and the U.S.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical origins of military slang, particularly terms like "klick."
  • Explore military map reading techniques, focusing on scale interpretation.
  • Learn about the use of metric units in military operations and communications.
  • Investigate the impact of military terminology on civilian language and culture.
USEFUL FOR

Military personnel, historians, linguists, and anyone interested in understanding military jargon and its implications in communication and culture.

mrjeffy321
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I have no idea where to ask this question, so I'll ask it here.

I have heard the term "click" used as a unit of measurment.
Does anyone know how much a click is? is it even a real unit of measure?
 
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I have never heard of "click" as a measurement.
 
Unless you're measuring the number of topless girls on a beach; I've never heard of it.
 
I've heard it's a slang to call a kilometer a click. Someone might want to verify that one though.
 
mrjeffy321 said:
I have no idea where to ask this question, so I'll ask it here.

I have heard the term "click" used as a unit of measurment.
Does anyone know how much a click is? is it even a real unit of measure?
A 'click' is millitary slang for kilometer.

Fibonacci
 
Yah, you always hear people in military movies on the ground going "enemy base 6 clicks away"
 
Pengwuino said:
you always hear people in military movies on the ground going "enemy base 6 clicks away"
No. "Klick."
 
1 said:
A 'click' is millitary slang for kilometer.
Not just military. It's standard usage in Canada, along with simply 'k'. (Incidentally, it's spelled 'klick'.) :cool:
 
  • #11
OK, "klick", a km.
I will start putting that into my everyday speech.
thanks guys
 
  • #12
click klick click klick :D
 
  • #13
Click is a kilometer.
 
  • #14
cronxeh said:
Wiki is your friend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klick


Face it people on the internet are inept at using the internet. For every person who learns how to perform a search, five more buy internet access who don't. [/rant]
 
  • #15
A click is also about twenty degrees of reverse rotation on a good ratchet. :-p
 
  • #16
Ivan Seeking said:
A click is also about twenty degrees of reverse rotation on a good ratchet. :-p
Well duhhhh... of course, if you spell it with a 'c'... :rolleyes:
 
  • #17
Klicks more precisely as mapped km grid squares

google.com/search?q=%22klick+is%22+grid

--
More correctly, a klick is one grid square on a
1:50000 or 100000 scale military map.
--


You could move 1.5 kilometers east and still have moved 2 klicks.
 
  • #18
I find it fascinating that we got this thread to two pages.
 
  • #19
mapper said:
I find it fascinating that we got this thread to two pages.

Without any new information since "klick" was first defined nor a hijacking. At least now I know, AND know how to spell it correctly. I've wondered from time to time when watching movies, but it was never a pressing enough issue to bother to look up an answer.
 
  • #20
Moonbear said:
Without any new information since "klick" was first defined
Klicks do not refer to mapped grid squares?
 
  • #21
hitssquad said:
Klicks do not refer to mapped grid squares?

I haven't been able to find another site to corroborate that one source. That one you quoted was someone's reply on another forum where the discussion was about the term being used in a game. The grid might be set up in units of kilometers (klicks), but I haven't come across anything else that would suggest it could be used for a 1 km^2 square on a grid instead of a linear km. Until yesterday, I had no clue what the term meant, so if you can either find another site that corroborates it that would have more authority than a post on a forum about a game (who knows if that person is trust-worthy or not?), or if someone here has military training and can verify that use, I'll be glad to accept additional definitions.

Though, I did like the definition one person suggested in that forum (or at least I think it was on that site -- I followed several of those links earlier). They said something like a klick is the distance your commander is off at 3 AM...they always say it's just about another klick to go. :smile:
 
  • #22
I remember that my PChem professor always gave us problems that dealt with radiation by saying " a geiger counter measures x clicks per second, calculate etc..."
 
  • #23
mapper said:
I find it fascinating that we got this thread to two pages.


i might risk contributing the nonlinear expansion of this thread, but i will agree with you
 
  • #24
I found this site useful for military terminology. More than the average civilian ever wanted to know! http://www.combat.ws/S4/MILTERMS/MILTERMS.HTM

Mostly it got my attention for the intro before the long list of terms and definitions.

Terminology and nomenclature, argot and cant, jargon and lingo can be confusing. One reason the military has trouble coordinating joint operations is that the different services don't speak the same language.
* * * * * * * For example, if Navy personnel were told to "secure a building", they would, following a checklist written on a clipboard, unplug the equipment, turn off the lights, lock the doors, and depart.
* * * * * * * Given the same instructions, Army personnel would follow a checklist written in a notebook. They would occupy the building, so that no one could enter, and nothing could leave.
* * * * * * * In execution of the same instructions, and following a plan written on the palm of their hands, Marines would assault the building, capture it by close combat, and defend it with suppressive fire.
* * * * * * * The Air Force, on the other hand, following a protocol printed on a portable computer, would "secure a building" by taking out a three-year lease on it, with an option to buy.

:smile:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #25
I'm accustomed to 'klik'. It was the way my german professor spelled it.
 
  • #26
I've only ever heard it in Red Dwarf!
 
  • #27
Global Security and definitions of klick

Moonbear said:
hitssquad said:
Klicks do not refer to mapped grid squares?
I haven't been able to find another site to corroborate that one source.
John Pike's Global Security is widely considered authoritative regarding military technical matters. Part of that website is devoted to an online military library which includes document Fm 71-3 Appendix H which has this glossary definition of klick: "One klick equals one kilometer (one grid square on a 1:50,000 or 1:100,000-scale tactical map)." It also incused a usage example that might seem to imply that klicks refer to mapped grid squares:

--
BOG . . .[/color] An area that will not support the unit's heaviest vehicle. For example, "Route HAWK, klick 6 to klick 7, bog."
--
 
  • #28
what is a click?

I have to laugh at the responses. This question is very much dated.. it's origins are from the unfortunate era called Viet Nam. The term click refers to one hundred yards to a target or location. Having been there and some still persist in using the term which i personally avoid due to stupidity of wars. much easier to let two goofs in charge of a Nation slug it out bare knuckles best man wins end of discussion.

Dinger
 
  • #29
dinger said:
Having been there and some still persist in using the term which i personally avoid due to stupidity of wars. much easier to let two goofs in charge of a Nation slug it out bare knuckles best man wins end of discussion.
Ahnold for President!
 
  • #30
all of this !


nice ! it's the first time that i heard it ...

for all thnx..:)
 

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