noun
Uncommon
ko
KOH
Ko (noun) means In the board game Go, a repeating capture situation where a single stone could be taken back and forth forever, so special rules stop it. Example: “She avoided starting a ko fight because she was already ahead on the board.”
noun
1
In the board game Go, a repeating capture situation where a single stone could be taken back and forth forever, so special rules stop it.
"She avoided starting a ko fight because she was already ahead on the board."
"The two players spent several minutes just fighting over the ko."
"At the Go club, he learned how a ko stops players from repeating the same capture."
verb
1
To knock someone unconscious (often written as "KO" in sports and fighting contexts).
"The champion managed to ko his opponent in the second round."
"One clean punch was enough to ko him."
"The commentator said a single strong hit could ko the tired challenger."
How to use ko
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn Go, a repeated-capture rule; in boxing slang, to knock someone out cold.
Common pairings
ko fight
ko someone out
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Word forms
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She avoided starting a _____ fight because she was already ahead on the board.
Etymology
The Go sense is borrowed from the Japanese word 劫 (kō); the "knock out" verb comes from the abbreviation K.O.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “ko” mean?
The word “ko” means in the board game Go, a repeating capture situation where a single stone could be taken back and forth forever, so special rules stop it. In plain terms, in Go, a repeated-capture rule; in boxing slang, to knock someone out cold.
How do you pronounce “ko”?
“Ko” is pronounced KOH (/ˈkəʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ko” in a sentence?
Here is “ko” used in a sentence: “She avoided starting a ko fight because she was already ahead on the board.”
What part of speech is “ko”?
Depending on how it is used, “ko” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “ko” come from?
The word “ko” comes from Japanese. The Go sense is borrowed from the Japanese word 劫 (kō); the "knock out" verb comes from the abbreviation K.O.
Is “ko” a common word?
“Ko” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ko” have?
“Ko” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in the board game Go, a repeating capture situation where a single stone could be taken back and forth forever, so special rules stop it.
What does KO mean in boxing?
In sports and fighting contexts, KO refers to knocking someone unconscious. It is typically written in capital letters as "KO" as an abbreviation.
What is a ko in the board game Go?
A ko in Go is a repeating capture situation where a single stone could be taken back and forth forever, so the game uses special rules to stop this endless cycle. It is a Go-specific term distinct from the boxing sense of KO.
Why does Go need special rules for a ko?
Without a special rule, a ko would allow players to capture the same single stone back and forth indefinitely, since it is a repeating capture situation. Go's ko rule prevents this endless loop so the game can progress.
Is "ko" written the same way for both meanings?
The Go term is generally written in lowercase as "ko," while the boxing and fighting sense is usually capitalized as "KO" as an abbreviation. Context makes clear which meaning is intended.
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