Meaning & use
Chinese solitaire
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
A single-player board game in which you jump pegs over one another to remove them, trying to leave one peg.
Grammar: Names a game, so no article is needed: play Chinese solitaire.
Patterns
- play Chinese solitaire
My grandfather kept a Chinese solitaire board on the coffee table.
She finally solved Chinese solitaire with a single peg left in the center.
Chinese solitaire needs patience more than speed.
noununcountable
A card game played alone, in which the player arranges cards into rows to make the best poker hands.
Grammar: Used as a game name, usually without an article.
Patterns
- play Chinese solitaire
He downloaded a Chinese solitaire app for the train ride.
In Chinese solitaire, the bottom row must beat the middle row.
The card version of Chinese solitaire is also played against others.
Common combinations
- play Chinese solitaire
- We played Chinese solitaire on the ferry.
- solve Chinese solitaire
- It took an hour to solve Chinese solitaire.
- Chinese solitaire board
- The Chinese solitaire board was made of wood.
- Chinese solitaire pegs
- The Chinese solitaire pegs rolled under the sofa.
- Chinese solitaire app
- A Chinese solitaire app is free to download.
Synonyms and how they differ
- peg solitaire
- Peg solitaire is the clearer name for the board game and avoids confusion with the card version.
- patience
- Patience is the British word for card solitaire games in general.
Word family
Commonly confused: Chinese solitaire or Chinese checkers?
Chinese solitaire vs Chinese checkers
Chinese checkers is a race game for two to six players on a star board, not a solo jumping puzzle.
Practice
Which game involves jumping pegs over each other to leave just one on the board?
Choose one answer.
Chinese solitaire is the solo peg-jumping puzzle. Chinese checkers is played by several people racing across a board.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Chinese solitaire”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.