すごろく

す

ご

ろ

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun

race game; track board game

usually written using kana alone

A board game where players roll dice and move pieces along a track to reach the goal. Often played during New Year's in Japan. The modern form is usually a printed sheet with a winding path.

Written forms

すごろくUsage14%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms are rare or ateji.
双六Usage86%
- すごろく
  Rare kanji form; the reading すぐろく is obsolete.
- すぐろく
  out-dated reading
雙六すごろくUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kyūjitai form.
双陸すごろく
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
寿す語ご録ろく
ateji (phonetic kanji usage)rarely-used kanji form
Ateji spelling; rarely used.
スゴロク
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in titles.
すぐろく
out-dated reading

Kanji

双pair, set, comparison
六six
雙pair, set, comparison
陸land, six
寿longevity, congratulations, one's natural life
語word, speech, language
録record

Similar words

バックギャモン
Backgammon is the Western equivalent of ban-sugoroku, but the rules differ in details such as the starting position and bearing off.
絵え双六すごろく
E-sugoroku specifically refers to the pictorial race game version, often with illustrated themes, as opposed to the older ban-sugoroku.

Etymology

The word sugoroku is believed to have originated from the Chinese game 'shuanglu' (双六), which was introduced to Japan. The kanji 双六 literally mean 'pair six', referring to the highest dice roll. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.

Meanings

noun

race game; track board game

usually written using kana alone

A board game where players roll dice and move pieces along a track to reach the goal. Often played during New Year's in Japan. The modern form is usually a printed sheet with a winding path.