five kilos

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "five kilos" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a weight measurement, particularly in contexts involving food, shipping, or any situation where weight is relevant. Example: "I need to buy five kilos of flour for the baking competition."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Five kilos?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I think it's four or five kilos".

The New Yorker

Five kilos is a lot of cocaine.

The New York Times

Five kilos of cocaine landed on the street.

The New York Times

A pig needs around five kilos and a chicken around three.

The Economist

She was caught carrying a bag with five kilos of cocaine.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

Two hundred forty-five kilos, in the Olympics.

The New York Times - Magazine

Its gene density is about one gene per five kilo-base pairs.

Wikipedia

He'd barely considered the gangsters before his mind had announced: Sixty-four kilos and eighty-five kilos; welterweight and cruiserweight.

The New Yorker

Nazir Ahmad, a bearded man in a long, opium-stained smock, said that he had twenty people to support and four jiribs of land, from which he expected to harvest twenty-five kilof opiumium.

The New Yorker

A pike, nine kilos.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Be consistent with your unit of measurement within the same context. Avoid switching between kilos and pounds unless necessary for clarification.

Common error

Avoid using informal abbreviations like "k" instead of "kilos" in formal writing. Always use the full term or the standard abbreviation "kg" or "kgs".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "five kilos" functions primarily as a noun phrase specifying a quantity or weight. It modifies a noun, indicating the amount of something being discussed. Ludwig AI shows it's used to quantify items like cocaine, meat, feed, or even truffles.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Academia

6%

Science

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "five kilos" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase for indicating a weight of five kilograms. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is very common, particularly in contexts like news and media, and academia. While "five kilograms" is considered more formal, "five kilos" is perfectly acceptable in most situations. Remember to be consistent with your units and consider your audience when choosing between metric and imperial measurements. Be mindful of avoiding incorrect abbreviations in formal writing. Ludwig AI affirms that it is grammatically correct.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

5 kilograms

Direct conversion from kilos to kilograms, using the SI unit.

five kg

Abbreviated form of kilograms, maintaining the exact weight reference.

5 kgs

Another abbreviated form, differing only in the 's' to indicate plural.

11 pounds

Imperial unit equivalent to five kilos, offering a different unit of measure.

a weight of five kilos

Adds emphasis on the weight itself, slightly more descriptive.

five kilograms worth

Focuses on the quantity by weight of something

a five-kilo amount

Highlights the total quantity being referenced.

a quantity of five kilos

More formal phrasing emphasizing the specific amount.

around five kilos

Indicates approximate weight, introducing a degree of imprecision.

approximately five kilos

Similar to 'around five kilos', specifying the weight is not exact.

FAQs

What is the difference between "five kilos" and "five kilograms"?

The phrases "five kilos" and "five kilograms" are interchangeable. "Kilos" is an informal abbreviation of "kilograms", the standard unit of mass in the metric system.

How do I convert "five kilos" to pounds?

To convert "five kilos" to pounds, multiply by 2.20462. Therefore, five kilos is approximately 11.02 pounds.

When is it appropriate to use "five kilos" instead of "five kilograms"?

"Five kilos" is suitable for informal contexts, while "five kilograms" is preferred in formal or scientific writing. Both are widely understood and accepted.

What are some contexts where I might use the phrase "five kilos"?

The phrase "five kilos" is commonly used when discussing food quantities, shipping weights, personal weight loss/gain, or drug amounts, as demonstrated in various examples provided by Ludwig.