ping-pong

/ˈpɪŋ.pɒŋ/ Chinese Origin Sport

Original Word

乒乓

Mandarin (pīng pāng)

Entered English

Early 20th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "ping-pong"

An onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of a ball bouncing. Though the game originated in England, the name echoes the Mandarin 'pīng pāng' (乒乓), which mimics the same sound. The trademark 'Ping-Pong' was registered in 1901.

Example Usage

"We played ping-pong in the basement all afternoon."

All Chinese Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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