パチンコ
ぱちんこ
noun
pachinko; Japanese pinball gambling
1.
pachinko; Japanese pinball-style gambling machine
A popular Japanese gambling game played on vertical machines where metal balls are shot and fall through pins, with prizes exchangeable for cash at separate locations.
Cultural note
Pachinko is one of Japan's most popular forms of gambling entertainment. Due to gambling laws, pachinko parlors cannot directly pay cash prizes. Instead, players exchange their balls for prizes, which can then be sold for cash at nearby exchange shops.
Common collocations
Etymology
The name comes from the onomatopoeia パチン (the sound of balls hitting pins).
Related words
- スロット (slot machines, often found in same parlors)