下棋

xiàqí

verb HSK 7 #11,710

Meanings

1 to play chess; to play a board game

Characters

chess; board game

Literally 'to place pieces down' — referring to placing game pieces on a board.

Examples

爷爷每天在公园里下棋。

Yéye měitiān zài gōngyuán lǐ xiàqí.

Grandpa plays chess in the park every day.

你会下棋吗？

Nǐ huì xiàqí ma?

Do you know how to play chess?

我们下一盘棋吧。

Wǒmen xià yì pán qí ba.

Let's play a game of chess.

Tips

culture

In China, 下棋 usually refers to 中国象棋 (xiàngqí, Chinese chess) or 围棋 (wéiqí, Go). Seeing elderly men gathered around chess boards in parks and street corners is an iconic Chinese scene. International chess is specifically called 国际象棋 (guójì xiàngqí).

Stroke Order

下 xià

棋 qí