noun
Uncommon
mao
mow
Mao (noun) 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. Example: “Nobody explains the rules of Mao to you — you just get penalized until you figure them out.”
noun
1
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.
"Nobody explains the rules of Mao to you — you just get penalized until you figure them out."
"We played Mao at the party, and I lost three cards before I understood anything."
"Teaching a friend Mao is fun because you must never tell them the rules."
2
In fairy chess, a piece that moves one square orthogonally then one square diagonally outward, similar to but more restricted than a chess knight.
"The mao can be blocked mid-move, unlike the knight it resembles."
"In this variant, a mao can only jump if the square beside it is empty."
"He moved his mao forward and then diagonally to threaten the bishop."
How to use mao
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBest known today as the secretive card game, or as a chess-variant piece; also a common Chinese surname, most famously Mao Zedong.
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Word forms
- Plural
- maos
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Nobody explains the rules of _____ to you — you just get penalized until you figure them out.
Etymology
Borrowed from Samoan ma'o, from ma'oma'o.
Synonyms
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monoamine oxidase
Rhymes for mao
See all rhymes for 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.
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