Meaning & use
Chinese dice
Last updated
Meanings
nounplural
A traditional Chinese game played with dice, often involving betting or drinking, or the dice used in such games.
Grammar: Takes a plural verb: Chinese dice are often used in gambling. The singular is 'a Chinese die' but rare.
Patterns
- play Chinese dice
- a game of Chinese dice
- throw the Chinese dice
During the festival, the family gathered to play Chinese dice late into the night.
He bought a set of Chinese dice from an antique shop.
The rules of Chinese dice vary from region to region.
nounplural
Dice of a style associated with China, typically marked with Chinese characters or symbols instead of dots.
Grammar: Usually plural; a single one is 'a Chinese die'.
Patterns
- a set of Chinese dice
- Chinese dice with characters
The museum displayed ancient Chinese dice made of bone.
These Chinese dice have the numbers written in red characters.
Common combinations
- play Chinese dice
- They often play Chinese dice after dinner.
- a set of Chinese dice
- She gave him a set of Chinese dice as a souvenir.
- throw the dice
- It's your turn to throw the dice.
- roll the dice
- He rolled the dice and got a high number.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Chinese dominoes
- A different game using tiles, not dice; do not confuse the two.
- dice
- The general term; 'Chinese dice' specifies the cultural style or game.
Commonly confused: Chinese dice or Chinese checkers?
Chinese dice vs Chinese checkers
A board game played with marbles, not dice; the name is misleading as it did not originate in China.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'Chinese dice' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Chinese dice' refers to a game or the dice themselves, so 'played a game of Chinese dice' is correct. The other options treat it as food, a singular object, or a vehicle, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Chinese dice”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.