棋子 (qízǐ): chess piece; game piece

Measure Word

一枚棋子 méi

Chess (棋) + piece (子) — a piece in a board game, or figuratively, a pawn being manipulated.

Zhè hé qízǐ shǎo le yí ge.

This box of chess pieces is missing one.

Tā búguò shì biérén shǒu zhōng de yì méi qízǐ.

He's nothing more than a pawn in someone else's hands.

usage

The figurative use of 棋子 (pawn, someone being manipulated) is very common in political commentary and drama. 沦为棋子 means 'to be reduced to a pawn.'

棋 qí

子 zǐ