- mah-jongg (n.)
[mah-jongg 词源字典]
- 1922, from dialectal Chinese (Shanghai) ma chiang, name of the game, literally "sparrows," from ma "hemp" + chiang "little birds." The game so called from the design of the pieces. It had a vogue in Europe and the U.S. 1922-23 and for a time threatened to supplant bridge in popularity.[mah-jongg etymology, mah-jongg origin, 英语词源]