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围棋 (wéi qí) — the game of Go

Definition

围棋 is the ancient strategy board game known in English as Go. Unlike 象棋 (Chinese chess, played on a grid with set pieces), Go is played on a plain grid with black and white stones where the goal is to surround territory.

noun
the game of Go
Measure word · 盘

Examples

  • 围棋？
    Nǐ xué guò wéi qí ma?
    Have you learned to play Go?
  • 围棋。
    Tā měi tiān dōu yào xià yì pán wéi qí.
    He plays a game of Go every day.
  • 围棋。
    wéi qí Shì yì zhǒng fēi cháng gǔ lǎo de qí lèi yóu xì.
    Go is a very ancient board game.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

围wéisurround
棋qígame

Go is the 棋 'game' named for 围 'surround'.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwooden
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí棋qí
Same sound today

棋 has 木 on the left, showing it was made of wood, and 其 on the right gives the sound.

Open 棋 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Games & Puzzles

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