noun
pebble throwing game played by young girls
Archaic children's game, similar to jacks or knucklebones, played with small stones. Historical term; not used in modern daily life.
石子は、昔の女の子たちが小石を使って遊んだ遊びです。
Ishinago is a game that girls in the past played using small stones.
お手玉 is a traditional beanbag juggling game, while 石子 specifically uses pebbles and involves throwing and catching them.
Standard kanji spelling for this archaic game.
Alternate kanji spelling, less common.
Rare kanji spelling using 擲 (throw).
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 石子 literally means 'stone child', and 石投 means 'stone throw', reflecting the game's nature.