menko; card-flipping game
A traditional Japanese children's game played with thick circular or rectangular cards. Players slap their card onto the ground to flip over an opponent's card.
I used to play menko with my friends a lot when I was young.
This menko card is thick and hard to flip over.
round menko card
ugly or homely woman's face; old bag
Katakana spelling is standard for this game; usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling is also common.
Kanji spelling exists but is rarely used; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
The origin of the word is uncertain. It may be related to the onomatopoeic sound of slapping, but the exact derivation is unclear.