weiqi (English)
Where does "weiqi" come from?
The English word 'weiqi' is borrowed directly from Mandarin Chinese via the Hanyu Pinyin romanization system[1]. In Chinese, the name '围棋' (or '圍棋', transcribed as 'wéiqí') literally translates to 'encirclement board game', aptly reflecting the strategic objective of capturing territory on the board[1].
Full etymology tree
- weiqi (English), 'An ancient Chinese board game, today also popular in Japan and Korea, played with 181 black stones and 180 white ones, typically on a board of 19 × 19 squares.'
- borrowed 圍棋 (wéiqí) (Mandarin)
Sources
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris