碁(ご)

碁(ご) is the board game Go (also called 囲碁(いご)) - a strategic game played with black and white stones.

Go vocabulary

• 碁盤(ごばん): Go board
• 碁石(ごいし): Go stones
• 碁(ご)を打(う)つ: to play Go (not する or やる)
• 囲碁(いご): Go (full name)

Levels

• プロ棋士(きし): professional Go player
• アマチュア: amateur player
• 段(だん): dan (rank for stronger players)
• 級(きゅう): kyu (rank for beginners)

Cultural note

Go originated in China over 2,500 years ago. It's one of the four traditional arts (琴棋書画(きんきしょが)) - music, Go, calligraphy, and painting.

Related words

• 将棋(しょうぎ): shogi (Japanese chess)