Mahjong — Lexography

Journey of meaning

2 forms

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The mahjong journey, in text

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麻將 · Mandarin
noun · Mandarin
Reading: MAH-jyang
the tile game. The stage is presented with inspected lexical evidence, a qualified route, and a supported reading; dates and regional coordinates retain their stated limits.
No secure word-specific date — The inspected Chinese dictionary and etymological sources establish the form and reading but not a secure earliest lexical date for Mandarin 麻將.
China · Chinese-language reference region — A broad Chinese-language reference coordinate; the game’s regional history is kept separate from word attestation.
Mandarin 麻將/麻将 (májiàng) is traced through 麻雀 (máquè, sparrow) and a Wu diminutive suffix. Entry — inspected etymology or definition passage
English mahjong is an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 麻將/麻将, with Oxford’s Chinese-dialect ma-tsiang and the existing Mandarin májiàng account retained as related evidence; the sparrow element is not made into a single universal dialect claim. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Mahjong is a Chinese tile game; game-history chronology is kept separate from the lexical date of the English spelling. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
The inspected source supports the conventional reading MAH-jyang for 麻將; it is presented as a reading, not as transliteration. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
The inspected sources establish the displayed form and route but do not establish a secure word-specific lexical date for 麻將. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
China · Chinese-language reference region is used as a broad language, speech-community, or documented contact-corridor reference for this stage; it is not presented as a lexical birthplace. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
mahjong · English
noun · English
Reading: mah-JONG
a tile game. The stage is presented with inspected lexical evidence, a qualified route, and a supported reading; dates and regional coordinates retain their stated limits.
1922 · English mah-jongg/mahjong — Online Etymology Dictionary dates the English game word to 1922; spelling variants and the underlying Chinese game history are not collapsed.
English reference region — A broad Chinese-language reference coordinate; the game’s regional history is kept separate from word attestation.
Mandarin 麻將/麻将 (májiàng) is traced through 麻雀 (máquè, sparrow) and a Wu diminutive suffix. Entry — inspected etymology or definition passage
English mahjong is an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 麻將/麻将, with Oxford’s Chinese-dialect ma-tsiang and the existing Mandarin májiàng account retained as related evidence; the sparrow element is not made into a single universal dialect claim. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Mahjong is a Chinese tile game; game-history chronology is kept separate from the lexical date of the English spelling. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
The inspected source supports the conventional reading mah-JONG for mahjong; it is presented as a reading, not as transliteration. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
The inspected source supports the bounded lexical or textual period shown for mahjong. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record
China · Chinese-language reference region is used as a broad language, speech-community, or documented contact-corridor reference for this stage; it is not presented as a lexical birthplace. Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record

Relationships

májiàng → mahjong: borrowing, documented. English mahjong is an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 麻將/麻将, with Oxford’s Chinese-dialect ma-tsiang and the existing Mandarin májiàng account retained as related evidence; the sparrow element is not made into a single universal dialect claim. Entry — inspected etymology or definition passage Inspected lexical, historical, or regional record

Inspect the evidence 9 claims

Open a claim to follow the source and our interpretation.

01Mandarin 麻將/麻将 (májiàng) is traced through 麻雀 (máquè, sparrow) and a Wu diminutive suffix.
Source
mahjong — WiktionaryWiktionary contributorsEntry — inspected etymology or definition passage
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
The English entry traces mahjong to Mandarin 麻將 or 麻将 (májiàng), from 麻雀 (máquè, sparrow) with a Wu diminutive suffix.
English entry — etymology
Qualification Source-supported
Directly supported by the inspected passage.
What Lexography infers
The journey is limited to the inspected passage and does not promote an omitted or uncertain route to fact.
Checked 2026-09-19. Original factual paraphrase from an inspected source passage; no full article redistributed.
02English mahjong is an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 麻將/麻将, with Oxford’s Chinese-dialect ma-tsiang and the existing Mandarin májiàng account retained as related evidence; the sparrow element is not made into a single universal dialect claim.
Source
mahjong — Oxford Advanced Learner’s DictionaryOxford University PressInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Oxford gives mahjong the pronunciations /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ and /mɑːˈʒɑːŋ/, defines the Chinese tile game, and traces the word to a Chinese dialect ma-tsiang, literally sparrows.
Definition, pronunciation and Word Origin
Qualification Qualified
The selected route is retained with explicit scope and alternatives where the inspected sources do not agree.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Dictionary definition, pronunciation and Chinese dialect etymology; brief paraphrase only.
03Mahjong is a Chinese tile game; game-history chronology is kept separate from the lexical date of the English spelling.
Source
mahjong — Oxford Advanced Learner’s DictionaryOxford University PressInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Oxford gives mahjong the pronunciations /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ and /mɑːˈʒɑːŋ/, defines the Chinese tile game, and traces the word to a Chinese dialect ma-tsiang, literally sparrows.
Definition, pronunciation and Word Origin
Qualification Source-supported
Directly supported by the inspected passage.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Dictionary definition, pronunciation and Chinese dialect etymology; brief paraphrase only.
04The inspected source supports the conventional reading MAH-jyang for 麻將; it is presented as a reading, not as transliteration.
Source
mahjong — Oxford Advanced Learner’s DictionaryOxford University PressInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Oxford gives mahjong the pronunciations /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ and /mɑːˈʒɑːŋ/, defines the Chinese tile game, and traces the word to a Chinese dialect ma-tsiang, literally sparrows.
Definition, pronunciation and Word Origin
Qualification Source-supported
Directly supported by the inspected passage.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Dictionary definition, pronunciation and Chinese dialect etymology; brief paraphrase only.
05China · Chinese-language reference region is used as a broad language, speech-community, or documented contact-corridor reference for this stage; it is not presented as a lexical birthplace.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — slice 3 language reference regionsHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Reference record
China · Chinese-language reference region; reference coordinates 34.09 latitude, 109.05 longitude. A broad Chinese-language reference coordinate; the game’s regional history is kept separate from word attestation.
Language reference map and country listing
Qualification Reference only
The regional record supports map orientation only; it does not prove a lexical origin coordinate.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. CC BY 4.0; rounded language/community reference coordinates, never lexical birthplaces.
06The inspected sources establish the displayed form and route but do not establish a secure word-specific lexical date for 麻將.
Source
mahjong — Oxford Advanced Learner’s DictionaryOxford University PressInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Oxford gives mahjong the pronunciations /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ and /mɑːˈʒɑːŋ/, defines the Chinese tile game, and traces the word to a Chinese dialect ma-tsiang, literally sparrows.
Definition, pronunciation and Word Origin
Qualification Unresolved
Normal lexical and historical sources were inspected; the retained evidence does not support a more precise date.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Dictionary definition, pronunciation and Chinese dialect etymology; brief paraphrase only.
07The inspected source supports the conventional reading mah-JONG for mahjong; it is presented as a reading, not as transliteration.
Source
mahjong — Oxford Advanced Learner’s DictionaryOxford University PressInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Oxford gives mahjong the pronunciations /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/ and /mɑːˈʒɑːŋ/, defines the Chinese tile game, and traces the word to a Chinese dialect ma-tsiang, literally sparrows.
Definition, pronunciation and Word Origin
Qualification Source-supported
Directly supported by the inspected passage.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Dictionary definition, pronunciation and Chinese dialect etymology; brief paraphrase only.
08China · Chinese-language reference region is used as a broad language, speech-community, or documented contact-corridor reference for this stage; it is not presented as a lexical birthplace.
Source
Glottolog 5.3 — slice 3 language reference regionsHammarström, Forkel, Haspelmath & Bank; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Reference record
China · Chinese-language reference region; reference coordinates 34.09 latitude, 109.05 longitude. A broad Chinese-language reference coordinate; the game’s regional history is kept separate from word attestation.
Language reference map and country listing
Qualification Reference only
The regional record supports map orientation only; it does not prove a lexical origin coordinate.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. CC BY 4.0; rounded language/community reference coordinates, never lexical birthplaces.
09The inspected source supports the bounded lexical or textual period shown for mahjong.
Source
mah-jongg — Online Etymology DictionaryOnline Etymology DictionaryInspected lexical, historical, or regional record
Source passage
Source summary · not a quotation
Online Etymology Dictionary dates the English game word mah-jongg to 1922 and traces it to dialectal Chinese Shanghai ma chiang, sparrows.
mah-jongg(n.) opening entry
Qualification Source-supported
Directly supported by the inspected passage.
What Lexography infers
Lexography retains the source-backed value at its stated scope and does not infer a stronger origin, date, or location than the inspected evidence supports.
Checked 2026-09-20. Bounded English lexical date and dialectal route; brief paraphrase only.