Mah-Jongg
/ˈmɑː ˌdʒɒŋ/noun
A tile-based Chinese game traditionally played by four people.
Did you know?The game’s name is often connected to 麻雀, meaning “sparrow,” possibly because the clicking tiles were compared with sparrows chattering or because the tile symbols resembled birds.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
麻雀
““Sparrow”; a traditional Chinese word later associated with an early name for the game.”
19th Century
Cantonese
麻雀 (máquè)
““Sparrow,” and possibly the name of an early form of the tile game; the exact connection remains uncertain.”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
Chinese
麻將 / 麻将 (májiàng)
“A written form used for the game, with regional pronunciation and naming differences.”
Early 20th Century
English
mah-jong
“An English rendering of the Chinese game’s name, popularized internationally.”
20th Century
English
mah-jongg
“A variant spelling used in English, especially in American commercial and dictionary usage.”