How Far is a Klick? Distance, History, & More

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: June 15, 2024 Fact Checked

If you’ve ever watched a war movie or talked to a marine, you may have heard them use “klick” as a measurement for distance. In this article, we’re going to answer your questions and more by explaining how far a klick is, how you’d use klick in a sentence, and investigating where the term might come from.

Things You Should Know

A klick is equal to 1 kilometer, or 0.62 miles.
Nobody knows the origin of the term “klick,” but it was likely invented in World War 1 or the Vietnam War.^{[1]
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You can use “click” and “klick” interchangeably.
People in the military, air traffic control industry, or trucking tend to use “klick” instead of “kilometer” because it’s easier to hear over the radio.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a klick?

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A klick is equal to 1 kilometer. There is no difference between one kilometer and one klick, and you can use the two interchangeably. However, people may not know what you’re talking about if they’re not familiar with military jargon, which is where this unit of measurement comes from.^{[2]
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Research source} A klick is also equivalent to:^{[3]
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Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Iowa State University's Extension and Outreach program dedicated to educating and engaging communities

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- 0.6214 miles
- 1,000 meters
- 3,280.84 feet

Section 2 of 5:

How do you use klick?

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Use “klick” the exact same way you’d use “kilometer.” There is no functional difference between a klick and a kilometer, so you can use the two terms interchangeably.^{[4]
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Research source} For example, you could say:
- “How many klicks is it to the gas station?”
- “There are 4 klicks between my house and school. It’s barely outside of walking distance.”
- “There are 1,000 meters in a klick, so a marathon would be a little over 42 klicks.”

Section 3 of 5:

Why would you say “klick” instead of “kilometer?”

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It’s clearer and easier to understand over radio. People in the military spend a lot of time using the radio, which isn’t always the easiest or clearest way of communicating. Since it’s easy to mishear people, “klick” is preferable to “kilometer” because the sharp sounds of the “ick” are easier to hear. This is also why soldiers and air traffic controllers use the phonetic alphabet to spell things out over the radio.^{[5]
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Federal Aviation Administration
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- Truckers spend a lot of time talking over the radio when they’re driving, so the usage of “klick” is common among CDL drivers, too.
- Many radio users will use “mikes” instead of “miles” for the same reasons.

Section 4 of 5:

Is there a difference between “click” and “klick?”

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You’ll normally see klick spelled with the K because it’s short for kilometer, which also starts with a K. “Klick” also doesn’t have any alternative definitions, which isn’t true for “click.” However, you can totally use click the same way you’d use klick.^{[6]
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“Click” may refer to adjusting a weapon’s sights in the military. Soldiers “click in” when they adjust their weapon’s sights, so any reference to a “click” could specifically refer to sight adjustments. When you adjust a weapon’s sights, you calibrate the line of aim so that you have a better idea of where a bullet will land.^{[7]
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- The proper term for this process is “sighting” or “sighting in.” The term “click” probably developed because you have to turn a dial that makes a clicking noise to adjust most sights.

Section 5 of 5:

What is the history of the term “klick?”

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The true story of how “klick” became a slang measurement for kilometer is lost to time. However, there are a few interesting theories that seem to have some validity to them.^{[8]
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When US soldiers joined World War 1, they had to use kilometers as their unit of measurement (instead of miles), since that’s what the French and British soldiers used. American soldiers started saying “klick” as a shortened version of “kilometers” and the term stuck!^{[9]
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In Vietnam, it was difficult for soldiers to measure distance in the jungle.^{[10]
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Research source} The story goes that Australian soldiers would pick someone to measure the number of steps. Every time they took 100 steps, they’d move the gas regulator one tick on their rifle to keep track. After 10 rotations, the regulator would reset and make a “clicking” noise. So one “click” became a kilometer.