jianzi
n.— «Before classes started one recent morning, sixth-graders circled around an object dominated by neon-colored feathers. Cheers intensified as groups stretched their limbs to keep the small object from hitting the floor. The game is a modified version of jianzi, also known as Chinese hacky sack in the United States.» —“Game travels from China” by Erin Hemme-Froslie In-Forum (Fargo, North Dakota) Jan. 15, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...
Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or...