diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1460,11 +1460,11 @@ def export(ui, repo, *changesets, **opts
     given using a format string. The formatting rules are as follows:
 
     :``%%``: literal "%" character
-    :``%H``: changeset hash (40 bytes of hexadecimal)
+    :``%H``: changeset hash (40 hexadecimal digits)
     :``%N``: number of patches being generated
     :``%R``: changeset revision number
     :``%b``: basename of the exporting repository
-    :``%h``: short-form changeset hash (12 bytes of hexadecimal)
+    :``%h``: short-form changeset hash (12 hexadecimal digits)
     :``%n``: zero-padded sequence number, starting at 1
     :``%r``: zero-padded changeset revision number
 
diff --git a/mercurial/help/glossary.txt b/mercurial/help/glossary.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/glossary.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/glossary.txt
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ Changeset, child
 
 Changeset id
     A SHA-1 hash that uniquely identifies a changeset. It may be
-    represented as either a "long" 40-byte hexadecimal string, or a
-    "short" 12-byte hexadecimal string.
+    represented as either a "long" 40 hexadecimal digit string, or a
+    "short" 12 hexadecimal digit string.
 
 Changeset, merge
     A changeset with two parents. This occurs when a merge is
diff --git a/mercurial/help/templates.txt b/mercurial/help/templates.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/templates.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/templates.txt
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ keywords are usually available for templ
 
 :file_dels: List of strings. Files removed by this changeset.
 
-:node: String. The changeset identification hash, as a 40-character
-    hexadecimal string.
+:node: String. The changeset identification hash, as a 40 hexadecimal
+    digit string.
 
 :parents: List of strings. The parents of the changeset.
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ List of filters:
     specified in RFC 3339: "2009-08-18T13:00:13+02:00".
 
 :short: Changeset hash. Returns the short form of a changeset hash,
-    i.e. a 12-byte hexadecimal string.
+    i.e. a 12 hexadecimal digit string.
 
 :shortdate: Date. Returns a date like "2006-09-18".