mao
1 synonyms and 0 antonyms for mao, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A card game (named after Mao Zedong) in which the rules are deliberately kept secret from new players, who must work them out by observation and penalty.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Borrowed from Samoan ma'o, from ma'oma'o.
Full origin of mao →Frequently asked questions
What does “mao” mean?
The word “mao” means a card game (named after Mao Zedong) in which the rules are deliberately kept secret from new players, who must work them out by observation and penalty. In plain terms, best known today as the secretive card game, or as a chess-variant piece; also a common Chinese surname, most famously Mao Zedong.
How do you pronounce “mao”?
“Mao” is pronounced mow (/maʊ̯/ in IPA).
How do you use “mao” in a sentence?
Here is “mao” used in a sentence: “Nobody explains the rules of Mao to you — you just get penalized until you figure them out.”
What part of speech is “mao”?
“Mao” is a noun.
Is “mao” a common word?
“Mao” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “mao” have?
“Mao” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a card game (named after Mao Zedong) in which the rules are deliberately kept secret from new players, who must work them out by observation and penalty.
Why is the card game Mao named after Mao Zedong?
The card game Mao is named after Mao Zedong, though the rules themselves have nothing to do with him or Chinese history. The name is used precisely because new players are kept in the dark about the rules, much as the game's origins remain deliberately obscure.
What is the point of keeping the rules of Mao secret?
In Mao, the rules are deliberately withheld from new players, who must work them out through observation and by being penalized for mistakes. This secrecy is the defining feature of the game, turning rule discovery itself into the main challenge.
What is a mao in fairy chess?
In fairy chess, a mao is a piece that moves one square orthogonally and then one square diagonally outward. It is similar to a standard chess knight's leaping move but more restricted, since its path can be blocked partway through.