sparrow dominoes
English
editEtymology
editcalque of Chinese 麻將/麻将 (májiàng) + dominoes.
Noun
editsparrow dominoes (uncountable)
- The game of mahjong.
- 1935, National Council of Teachers of English, Secondary Section, English Journal:
- Even "Mah-Jongg," for example, is called "sparrow dominoes"—and very rightly, since that is what the Chinese word means to the Chinese.
Noun
editsparrow dominoes pl (plural only)
- The tiles used in this game.
- 1921, John Dewey, “Impressions from Canton”, in China Monthly Review:
- There is probably no town in China where the click of the Sparrow dominoes is so little heard.