台球

• Pinyin: tái qiú
• Hanzi breakdown: 台 = 厶 + 口 (platform); 球 = 王 (jade) + 求 (phonetic)

Meaning

Billiards; pool; snooker. A cue sport played on a table with balls.

General term for cue sports including pool, snooker, and billiards. Very popular in China, especially among young men. Often played in 台球厅 (billiard halls).

Examples

1. 下班后我们去打台球吧，好久没活动了。 Let's play pool after work — it's been a while since we've done anything active.
2. 他台球打得特别好，经常在比赛中拿名次。 He's really good at billiards and often places in competitions.
3. 小区门口新开了一家台球厅，装修得挺不错的。 A new billiard hall just opened near the neighborhood entrance — it's nicely decorated.

Usage Guide

Context: leisure, sports

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 你会打台球吗？(Do you know how to play pool?)
• 去台球厅玩一会儿。(Let's go play at the billiard hall for a bit.)

Don't Say

• 把台球和桌球完全区分 (In mainland China, 台球 and 桌球 are often used interchangeably)

Origin & History

台 refers to the table (球台), 球 means ball. Together: table ball sport.

Cultural Context

Generation: Young adults, middle-aged

Social background: Universal