20 cm equals exactly 7.874 inches, which is close to 7 7/8 inches on a US ruler. This guide shows 20 cm in inches, feet, millimeters, and more. Then it compares 20 centimeters to ten everyday items you can find at home.
Shoppers often ask what size is 20 cm in inches when buying online. The answer is about 7 7/8 inches, or 0 feet 7.874 inches. Many people ask, is 20 cm 8 inches? Not quite, because 8 inches is 20.32 cm. By the end, you will know how long 20 cm really is.
20 cm Converted to Other Units
Unit
20 cm Equals
Inches
7.874 in (about 7 7/8 in)
Feet
0.656 ft
Yards
0.219 yd
Millimeters
200 mm
Meters
0.2 m
Kilometers
0.0002 km
Miles
0.000124 mi
Quick Reference List: 10 Things That Are About 20 cm Long
Object
Approx. Length (in inches)
Closeness to 20 cm
Best Situation
New Pencil
7.5 in
9/10
Writing notes, sketching, or taking exams in school
Banana
7.0 in
8/10
Snacking on a healthy, energy-boosting fruit on the go
8-Inch Chef’s Knife
8.0 in
10/10
Chop, slice, and dice vegetables and meats in the kitchen
Salad Plate
8.0 in
10/10
Serving appetizers, side salads, or desserts at dinner
US Letter Paper
8.5 in
9/10
Printing documents, writing letters, or sketching designs
Toothbrush
7.5 in
9/10
Brushing teeth for morning and nighttime dental hygiene
Adult Hand
7.5 in
9/10
Grasping tools, writing, or greeting someone with a handshake
8-Inch Cake Pan
8.0 in
10/10
Baking a birthday cake or layered dessert treats
Dinner Fork
7.5 in
9/10
Enjoying a hearty meal or dinner party entree
Standard Ruler
8.0 in
10/10
Measuring medium-sized objects or drawing straight lines
A New Pencil
A brand new pencil measures about 7.5 inches, or roughly 19 cm. So 20 cm is a touch longer than a fresh pencil. Hold one up and add a thumbnail’s width to picture it.
A pencil also helps with 6 inches 20 cm. Six inches is only 15.24 cm, so it is clearly shorter than 20 centimeters. A sharpened pencil shrinks with every use, so it drifts further from this length over time.
A Banana
A ripe banana usually runs 7 to 8 inches from tip to stem. That puts a large one right around 20 cm. It is a tasty answer to what size is 20 cm in inches: about one big banana.
Bananas vary, so treat this as a rough guide. A small one near 6 inches matches 15 cm instead, which is why 6 inches 20 cm gets a firm no. Measure first if you need accuracy.
An 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
An 8-inch chef’s knife has a blade near 20.3 cm. That makes it the closest kitchen match to 20 cm. It also explains why people ask for 20 cm 8 inches, since the two differ by only 3 mm.
Cooks love this size because it handles dicing and slicing with ease. Next time you grab one, you are holding almost exactly 20 centimeters of steel. Keep in mind that the handle adds extra length beyond the blade.
A Salad Plate
A standard US salad plate measures about 7 to 8 inches across. So one plate laid flat is close to 20 cm. Place a tape on the rim and you will see it stop near the 8-inch mark.
This is a handy picture for how long is 20 cm on a ruler. It reaches just under the 8-inch line, the same spot where the plate’s edge lands. Dinner plates run 10 to 11 inches, so don’t mix them up.
US Letter Paper
US letter paper is 8.5 inches wide, which equals 21.59 cm. That makes 20 cm about 1.6 cm narrower than the short side. Fold a corner in by roughly 5/8 inch to find the spot.
This trick also answers 20 cm 8 inches in a hands-on way. The 3 mm gap between them is about the thickness of two stacked pennies. For most home projects, that difference is too small to matter.
Toothbrush
A standard adult toothbrush is about 7 inches long. That makes it roughly 2 cm shorter than 20 cm. Most bathrooms have one, so it is a quick everyday check.
Try this when you wonder what size is 20 cm in inches. Picture a toothbrush plus a thumb’s width. The toothbrush alone is near 18 cm, and the extra bit brings you to 7 7/8 inches.
An Adult Hand
The average adult hand, from wrist crease to middle fingertip, spans about 6.7 to 7.5 inches. A larger hand can reach nearly 20 cm. Press your palm on a ruler to see where yours ends.
Hands differ a lot, so skip this method for precise work. Still, it helps with how long is 20 cm on a ruler when no tool is nearby. Your fingertip will land between the 7 and 8 inch marks.
8-Inch Cake Pan
An 8-inch round cake pan is about 20.3 cm across. That makes it nearly identical to 20 cm. Bakers consider it the classic size for layer cakes.
This is where 20 cm 8 inches matters in the kitchen. A 20 cm pan works fine for a recipe written for an 8-inch pan. The 3 mm difference will not change the bake.
Dinner Fork
A full-size dinner fork usually measures 7 to 8 inches long. Many sit right near 20 cm. Lay one beside a ruler and its tip reaches close to the 8-inch line.
Salad forks are shorter, around 6 to 7 inches. So if someone asks if it is 6 inches 20 cm, a salad fork shows the gap well. The dinner fork is your best 20 cm table tool.
Standard Ruler
On a metric ruler, 20 cm is the mark labeled 20, which holds 200 millimeters. On the inch side, it stops just before the 8 mark. That is why 20 cm on a ruler has a two-part answer.
To read it, find 7 inches, then count seven small 1/8 marks past it. That gives 7 7/8 inches. So what size is 20 cm in inches? Seven and seven-eighths, or 7.87 when rounded.
Conclusion
20 cm equals 7.874 inches, or about 7 7/8 inches, so it lands just under 8 inches. Everyday items like a banana, a pencil, or an 8-inch knife make the length easy to picture. Divide any centimeter value by 2.54 to convert it to inches in seconds.
FAQ’s About 20 cm
Is 20 cm 8 inches?
No. 20 cm equals 7.874 inches, which is about 0.126 inch short of 8 inches. The gap is only around 3 mm.
What size is 20 cm in inches?
20 cm in inches is 7.874, or roughly 7 7/8 inches on a standard US ruler. It is just under 8 inches.
Is 6 inches 20 cm?
No. Six inches equals 15.24 cm. 20 cm is about 7.87 inches, so it is almost 2 inches longer.
How long is 20 cm on a ruler?
On a metric ruler, it is the mark labeled 20. On an inch ruler, it falls just before the 8-inch line, at 7 7/8 inches.
How many millimeters are in 20 cm?
There are 200 millimeters in 20 cm. One centimeter equals 10 mm, so multiply 20 by 10.
How many feet is 20 cm?
20 cm is about 0.656 feet. A foot is 30.48 cm, so 20 cm is roughly two-thirds of a foot.
What is 20 cm in feet and inches?
It is 0 feet 7.874 inches. Since it is shorter than one foot, the answer stays in inches.
How do you convert 20 cm to inches?
Divide 20 by 2.54. The result is 7.874 inches, which you can round to 7 7/8 inches for daily use.
Is 20 cm bigger than 8 inches?
No, it is slightly smaller. Eight inches equals 20.32 cm, so 20 centimeters falls about 0.32 cm short.
How can you measure 20 cm without a ruler?
Use a sheet of US letter paper, which is 8.5 inches (21.59 cm) wide. Mark a point about 5/8 inch in from the short edge to get 20 cm.
Hi, I’m Wesley Turner, the admin at RingsSizeCharts.com. We simplify ring sizing, measurements, and size conversions with easy-to-follow guides, accurate charts, and practical tips to help you find the perfect ring fit with confidence.
