mah-jongg

or mah-jong

[ mah-jawng, -jong, -zhawng, -zhong ]

noun

1. a game of Chinese origin usually played by four persons with 144 dominolike pieces or tiles marked in suits, counters, and dice, the object being to build a winning combination of pieces.

verb (used without object)

1. to win a game of mah-jongg.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mah-jongg¹

1920–25; < dialectal Chinese; compare Guangdong dial. màh-jéuk, Chinese máquè literally, sparrow (depicted on the first tile of a set), equivalent to má hemp + què bird

Example Sentences

Eileen learns more than Charles simply by quizzing her gossipy mah-jongg partners, whose conversations easily shift from irritable bowel syndrome to leading drug dealers.

From Los Angeles Times

When Junko Suzuki opened Suehiro with her sister Yuriko in 1972, they were only looking to create a place to play their favorite game, mah-jongg.

From Los Angeles Times

Since fully retiring a year ago, Johnny finds joy in family mah-jongg sessions on Saturday afternoons, regular qigong classes at a park, gardening in the backyard and learning how to cook Chinese food from Yvonne and myriad YouTube videos.

From Los Angeles Times

Mah-jongg, long associated with the Chinese-speaking diaspora, or Sinodiaspora, has expanded to an audience beyond its country of origin.

From Los Angeles Times

The mistresses recruit volunteers like Eric Kwok to help them teach mah-jongg to the crowd, which varies from two dozen to three dozen players at a time.

From Los Angeles Times