Xiangqi glossary | TheChessPolyglot

This is a glossary of xiangqi terms for reference, and some terms that I use when reading or translating from Chinese. Some terms I adopt from Jim Png’s glossary, others I prefer to translate differently.

Common terms

Kill （杀；杀棋）: Checkmate. Can be a verb or noun. A literal translation, but a common and succinct one.
Consecutive-check kill （连将杀）: A checkmate brought about by a continuous series of checks.
Threatmate （要杀/叫杀）: A move that threatens a checkmate on the following move.
Brinkmate （绝杀）: A situation where a consecutive-check kill is threatened on the following move and the other side has no defence.
Root （根；生根）: A rooted piece is one which has a defender; the defender is called the root. Conversely, an unrooted piece is an undefended piece. Also a verb, as in rooting a piece, to provide a piece with a defender.
Smothered mate （闷宫杀）: A checkmate where a single piece mates, with the enemy king unable to escape due to its own pieces blocking it. Not completely identical to the western chess concept. The smothered mate with a cannon is a fundamental mating pattern.

Xiangqi tactics names

Source article; but this is not a direct translation.

Xiangqi tactics are not all at the same “level”; there is an implied loose hierarchy of terms here, with simple elements like checks and double attacks forming the basis for more complex patterns like luring, and somewhat vague concepts like manoeuvring.

Manipulating （顿挫）: A broad class of forcing methods. For example using moves like checks or threatening pieces to force the opponent to react a certain way, or perhaps to gain a tempo for your own purposes.
Double attack （捉双）: Creating simultaneous threats on two pieces with a single move. This is the principal way to force a win of material. Note that the Chinese term refers specifically to attacking two pieces.
Discovered attack （闪击；挪）: Moving one piece to open the line of another piece behind it, revealing a threat. Note that due to the pieces’ movements, the possibilities in this category are much greater in xiangqi than in western chess. The piece that moves can often itself fulfil another useful purpose, sometimes creating two threats at once.
Double threat （双重威胁）: Creating two threats with a single move. More general than the double attack, this can include theatening a piece and mate simultaneously, or creating two mate threats at once.
Clearing （腾挪）: A clearing move is one which efficiently moves away a piece that is causing mobility problems. It can even be one which sacrifices said piece, as long as the ultimate effect is to increase the overall effectiveness of the other pieces.
Attraction / luring （吸引）: Bringing enemy pieces (or the king) to places where they can be easily attacked or where they obstruct their own forces, usually by means of an exchange or a sacrifice. This is a very important tactic to be aware of in mating attacks, much like in crazyhouse. The emphasis here is on the position the piece is attracted to, and so is distinct from “distraction”.
Distraction （引离）: Bringing enemy pieces away from key places, where they were perhaps guarding an important line or participating in a mating attack. This is usually achieved by exchanges or offering a sacrifice. The emphasis here is on the position the piece was distracted from, and so is distinct from “attraction”.
Flanking （迂回）: If the opponent’s defence is strong from the front, direct your own forces to attack the side where the opponent’s defences are weaker. This concept originates from Sun Zi’s The Art of War, Chapter VI: “夫兵形象水，水之行，避高而趋下；兵之形，避实而击虚。水因地而制流，兵因敌而制胜。故兵无常势，水无常形，能因敌变化而取胜者，谓之神。故五行无常胜，四时无常位，日有短长，月有死生。”
Exchanging （兑子）: The simple act of trading pieces of equal value is given much more focus in xiangqi than in western chess. There are many subtleties not often noted in western chess manuals. To name a few: An exchange can cause one side to have better/worse piece positioning after the trade (since in a simple capture-recapture, the recapturer must move). An exchange can result in gain or loss of initiative. An exchange can change the balance of force deployment on the board, resulting in one or both sides becoming overconcentrated on one side or the other. An exchange can change the implications for king safety or endgame possibilities, depending on the defensive pieces left for both sides.
Blockade （封锁）: Broadly speaking, the act of restricting one or more enemy pieces so that they lose effectiveness. This effectively results in a force advantage over the rest of the board.
Sacrifice （弃子）: Giving up material to achieve some other goal, for example to break through defensive lines, get the initiative, attract enemy pieces to vulnerable locations, or for mating attacks. This usually must be backed up with precise calculation, otherwise the desired outcome fails to manifest and one is simply left with less material. Sacrificing is a skill that is a double-edged sword, but one that is absolutely essential for improvement.
Temporary sacrifice （先弃后取）: A temporary sacrifice is one where the opponent is obliged to return the sacrificed material at a later stage to avoid even worse losses. Being able to discern and utilise temporary sacrifices requires imagination and skill, and is a mark of a good xiangqi player.
Interference （隔断）: Moving a piece to interrupt the link between an enemy piece and its defender (its root), resulting in the enemy piece becoming undefended.
Borrowing power （借力）: Borrowing a friendly piece’s power to increase the effectiveness of moving a different friendly piece, for instance moving the second piece to a point defended by the first one, or by having the second piece move to reveal discovered attack by the first one, with tempo.
Manoeuvring （运子）: Manoeuvring is about moving pieces to effective locations. In xiangqi, piece activity and coordination is of fundamental importance, and making sure your pieces work harmoniously for attack and defence is a key skill.
Trapping （困子）: Surrounding and restricting an enemy piece such that it cannot move or loses its potential. A piece does not actually have to be captured in order for the trapping to be considered a success.
Blocking （拦截）: Hindering an enemy piece’s mobility by directly putting a piece in its path, or luring an enemy piece there.
Pinning （牵制）: Using one piece to put two (or more!) enemy pieces in a situation such that if one moves, the other, previously unattacked, falls under attack. This can be used to restrict the movement of enemy pieces, especially if the second piece is the king (an absolute pin). Note that in xiangqi, the cannon can pin two pieces at once to a third, the horse and elephant also can pin by virtue of their movements, and even the king can pin a piece to the enemy king.
Counter-killing （解杀还杀）: Meeting a checkmate threat with a move that simultaneously defends the threat and creates a mate threat on the enemy king. Arguably the strongest possible counterattack (and not an infrequent occurrence).

Endgame terms

Taken from GM Tu Jingming’s “Practical Xiangqi Endgames” （象棋实用残局初阶）, but again these are not direct translations.

Endgame （残局）: The phase of a game where both sides have few pieces remaining. Endgames can be classified into actual endgames (occurring in games, 实战残局), practical endgames (endgames where we can judge a definite result, corresponding to fundamental endgames in western chess, 实用残局), ancient compositions （古谱残局/排局）, and modern compositions （江湖残局/民间排局）.
Actual endgame （实战残局）: The endgame phase occurring in real games. Usually these endgames are at a stage where it is still impossible to determine if it is a guaranteed draw or win for one side.
Fundamental endgame / practical endgame （实用残局）: Refers to positions where the material balance or situation is such that one can definitively state it to be a win for one side or a draw. (These are also called “fundamental endgames” in western chess. “Practical” here has the sense of “useful in practice”, not necessarily “occurring in practice”.) The ancient manual Secret in the Tangerine says of these “When encountered in a game, unacceptable not to know”.
Idle move （闲着/停着）: A move that has neither attacking purpose nor harms one’s own position. A type of move often seen in quiet positions.
Waiting move （等着）: A move intending to wait for the right time to attack, often seen in quiet positions. Sometimes conflated with an idle move, but waiting moves are more proactive in intent.
Model win （例胜/必胜）: At the conclusion of a fundamental endgame, if the superior side reaches a position where they can guarantee a win against the inferior side, that position is said to be a model win. (The implication is that this is a generalisable technique.)
Model draw （例和/必和）: At the conclusion of a fundamental endgame, if the inferior side reaches a position where they can guarantee a draw, that position is said to be a model draw. (The implication is that this is a generalisable technique.)
Surprise win （巧胜）: In the latter stages of a fundamental endgame, if the inferior side could potentially, but is unable to attain a sure draw because of the superior side’s seizing their chance, this is termed a “surprise win”. Contrast this with a model draw. (Jim Png translates this to “positional win”, since it always is due to the specific positioning of the pieces that the model draw is unattainable.)
Surprise draw （巧和）: In the latter stages of a fundamental endgame, if the inferior side uses a surprising idea to achieve a draw, the position is termed a surprise draw. Contrast this with a model win. (Jim Png translates this to “positional draw”, since it always is due to the specific positioning of the pieces that the model win is unattainable.)
Attacking pieces / major pieces （攻子/强子）: Pieces that can attack the opponent, namely chariots, horses and cannons. Pawns may count, depending on the position; a crossed pawn is usually strong, while an uncrossed one tends to be weak.
Defending pieces / minor pieces （守子/弱子）: Pieces whose primary role is defence, namely advisors and elephants.
Proper move, correct move （正着/官着）: Objectively correct play.
Good move / brilliant move （好着/妙棋/巧着/佳着）: A key move or unexpected but good move. Notated with an exclamation mark. (Note for western chess players: the Nunn convention is not used.)
King （帅/将）: (An entry is accorded to emphasise the importance of the king in endgames!) The core of the game and target for both sides to obtain victory. Although its combat power seems the smallest, but it has no small potential, especially in endgames where often the superior side must use his powers (control from afar and taking key lines) to achieve victory. As the saying goes, “Without leaving the palace, deciding victory far afield.” （不出九宫，决胜千里）
(Chess) jargon （术语/弈语）: Words and phrases specific to xiangqi (or chess). These are specialist terms encountered when talking about games or reading game scores and books. (For a xiangqi or western chess player these won’t seem difficult at all, but remember the layperson might be completely confused by these terms!)
Check （将军/照将/打将，简称将）: When either side’s king is under threat of being captured. If two pieces check a king at once, it is called a double check (双照将； though note that up to four pieces can legally check a king at once in xiangqi!). The side in check needs to respond to alleviate the check （应将）; if this is impossible, they are said to be in checkmate （将死）.
Respond (to check) （应将/解将）: Alleviating a check.
Checkmate （无解/被将死）: When there is no legal move to get out of check, the king is said to be in checkmate.
Laughing generals / flying kings （对面笑/飞将）: The rule that it is illegal to make a move resulting in the two kings on the same file with nothing between them.
Revealing the king （露帅/露将）: Opening the king’s file to help in an attack, controlling the opposing king.
Covering the king （盖将/遮将）: Using a pawn or cannon on the enemy king’s file to prevent one’s own king from directly facing him. Often seen in endgames to counteract the opponent’s revealing their king.
Palace （九宫/九宫禁区/王城）: The nine points (eighteen, nine for each side) on the board marked by the cross where the kings and advisors are restricted to. If an enemy chariot or pawn takes up position within, the position can turn dangerous.
Palace-roof rank / cannon rank （宫顶线/炮位线）: For either side, the topmost rank of the palace, or also the rank where the cannons start. The opponent’s palace-roof rank is a good staging post for pawns and knights.
Palace heart / palace centre / centroid （宫心/花心）: The central point of the palace. A vital point. One should avoid having an enemy pawn take this point, as a proverb warns. （花心卒凶恶难当）
High king （山顶公/三层楼/高将）: A king on the palace-roof rank. Because he is exposed there, he is easily attacked, whence the proverb “A high king risks all.” （高将多危） Alternative, slightly amusing terms in English would be “king of the hill” or “third floor”.
Stalemate （无着/欠行/困毙）: When one side lacks legal moves, it is a loss for them. Note that this is unlike western chess.
Perpetual attack （长打）: Specific to Chinese xiangqi rules! When one side threatens mate or threatens a piece repeatedly. Classified under illegal plays, and the attacking side must play a different move before the third repetition. (Look up the Chinese xiangqi rules to clarify exactly what constitutes repetition, threatmate or threatening a piece.)
Advisor (士/仕）: The protector of the king. Although it cannot leave the palace, it can still be valuable in attack in the endgame as an ideal cannon mount. For instance, cannon + advisor beats two advisors, but a cannon + two elephants + old pawn cannot even beat a lone king.
Single-advisor guard （单缺士）: Two elephants and an advisor; a full guard lacking one advisor. In the endgame, it is very difficult for a single-advisor guard to hold against a single chariot, or a horse + high pawn.
Full guard （士象全）: (To have) Both advisors and both elephants intact. In the endgame, a full guard can draw against a single chariot by having both advisors and elephants guarding the central line.
Crossed guard （交叉士象）: Referring to the formation with one advisor and elephant each on the central line, with the other advisor and elephant on opposite sides.
Triple advisors （三士）: In the endgame, when one side has a cannon and the advisor pair, it is sometimes called “triple advisors”. Its defensive power is equivalent to a full guard, capable of defending against a single chariot. The key is to pay attention to the defence of the central line, not letting the enemy king participate effectively in the attack.
A king on his throne （太公座椅）: A surprising drawing idea in the endgame of horse + low pawn versus pawn + advisor. The king sits on top of his advisor, and waits with his pawn (or other pieces).
High advisor （高士/羊角士）: An advisor on one of the top corners of the palace. It is usually seen to block an enemy horse, or to function as a cannon mount for one’s own cannon.
Low advisor （底士）: An advisor on its starting position.
Elephant （象/相）: Like the advisor, it serves to defend the king; however, as its range is larger, it has a larger impact on the whole board. In the endgame, the elephant can cover the king, block a horse, and sometimes even help a cannon attack (e.g. chariot + cannon + 2 elephants win against chariot + 2 advisors). When lacking one elephant, a horse can sometimes fill its role.
Elephant’s mouth （象口）: The points that an elephant controls.
High elephant （高象）: An elephant on the riverbank. It usually serves to block an enemy horse.
Low elephant （底象）: An elephant on its starting position.
Single-elephant guard （单缺象）: Two advisors and an elephant; a full guard lacking one elephant. In the endgame, a single-elephant guard is unable to hold a draw against a single chariot, or a horse + high pawn, or a cannon + high pawn + advisor + elephant.
Triple elephants （三象）: In the endgame, when one side has a the elephant pair and a cannon or horse, it is sometimes called “triple elephants”. The piece is placed in the central elephant location, while a high elephant defends it, itself defended by the other elephant. Its defensive power is equivalent to a full guard, capable of defending against a single chariot.
Safety in division （门东户西）: In the endgame of single horse versus single elephant, the defending side should split the king and elephant to draw. The elephant should stay on the side where the king is not.
2nd rank （下二路/中士线）: The rank just above the bottom rank. An important rank for chariots and pawns when attacking the king.
4th rank / pawn rank （上二路/兵营线/卒林线）: The rank where the pawns start the game.
Pawn （兵/卒）: The most numerous piece, good for taking vanguard positions and sacrifices. In the endgame, according to the position, they can operate with other pieces or work well alone. Once they reach the opponent’s pawn rank, one should consider if they have support from other pieces before advancing any further.
High pawn （高兵）: A pawn that has advanced to the opponent’s pawn rank but no further. There it can cover the king while waiting for a good moment to advance, in general being more flexible and active than a low pawn. In the endgame, this can be a large distinction, e.g. cannon + high pawn wins against a single elephant, but a cannon + low pawn only draws.
Low pawn （低兵）: A pawn that has advanced past the opponent’s pawn rank but before reaching the last rank. Low pawns tend to be vital attacking pieces, and are strongest if the enemy king can be confined to the bottom rank.
Opposing pawns （对头兵）: A pair of pawns starting on the same file. The game begins with five such pairs. In isolation, a pair of opposing pawns cannot do anything but watch each other. External support is needed for either one to safely advance.
Unblocked pawn （通路兵）: A pawn at the riverbank without the opponent able to stop it from crossing. Vaguely analogous to “passed pawns” in western chess.
Connected pawns （兄弟兵/联兵）: A pair of pawns that have crossed the river and reached the enemy pawn rank, staying near each other. Such a pair of pawns have strong offensive and defensive power, close to that of a horse or cannon.
Horse （马）: While not as rapid as chariots and cannons along straight lines, the horse has a more nimble movement, combining well with other pieces and lending depth to attacks.
Central chariot, corner horse （车心角马）: A chariot in the palace centre and a horse in the palace corner is a powerful killing pattern. Compare with the Arabian mate in western chess.
Chariot-horse cold step （车马冷着）: Named after one of the endings in Secret of the Tangerine. Refers to a chariot and horse suddenly forming a mating attack in an apparently calm position, like a bolt from the blue.
Cannon-backed horse （马后炮）: A mating pattern, with the horse separated from the enemy king by one point, and the cannon behind the horse giving check. A very fundamental and common mating pattern.
Entrenched horse （卧槽马）: A horse on the point forking the starting positions of the king and chariot, one step in front of the enemy elephant’s starting position. It is a very common and powerful attacking position for the horse to be in. It also used to refer to a horse on the point in front of the enemy horse’s starting position, but this usage is rarer today.
Linked horses （鸳鸯马/连环马）: Horses which mutually defend each other.
The horse lands, the game ends. （独马踩无棋）: Referring to the endgame pattern where a single horse beats a lone king by stalemate.
Horses over cannons in the endgame. （残局马胜炮）: A proverb asserting that in the endgame, horses are generally worth more than cannons.
Cannon （炮/砲）: Cannons can control the opponent from afar, connect friendly pieces, and is a very mobile piece. In the endgame, horses are generally stronger from an attacking viewpoint, but cannons are favoured from a defensive viewpoint (e.g. a single chariot can win against a horse + 2 advisors, but usually draws against a cannon + 2 advisors.) Cannons can also form an offensive battery in conjunction with friendly advisors (e.g. a chariot + cannon + 2 advisors is slightly better than a chariot + horse + 2 advisors.) However when lacking advisors or elephants, the cannon’s offensive power is reduced. The question of whether a horse or a cannon is superior has to be answered based on the concrete board position.
Cannon mount (炮架/炮台）: Cannons can only capture by leaping over an intervening piece (either friendly or enemy), and the piece thus leapt over is called the cannon mount.
Linked cannons （担子炮/担竿炮/扁担炮/连环炮）: Mutually defending cannons, either vertically or horizontally. It is more common to see horizontally linked cannons.
Sunken cannon （沉底炮）: A cannon which has descended to the opponent’s bottom rank.
Dredging the moon from the ocean bed / sunken moon （海底捞月/沉底月）: A winning method for chariot + cannon against a lone chariot, and one of the common fundamental endgames. The superior side controls the central line with king and chariot, aiding the cannon to sink to the bottom rank and go behind the enemy king, preventing the enemy chariot from defending in front of its king. If the inferior side has taken the central line, however, they can hold a draw, whence the proverb “There is no sunken moon against a well-played chariot.” （车正永无沉底月）
Corner-entering cannon （入角炮）: A cannon along the edge file descending to the opponent’s bottom rank. With a chariot to help, there is the attacking pattern of discovered checks to potentially win material.
Stacked cannons （重炮/重叠炮）: Referring to doubled cannons on the same file, controlling it.
Dragging the bull by a thread （丝线掏牛）: Referring to a cannon attacking and pinning a knight to a chariot, for example after the opening moves: 1. C2=5 C8=5 2. H2+3 H8+7 3. R1+1 R9=8 4. R1=6 R8+4 5. H8+7 P3+1 6. R6+7 H2+3 7. P3+1 H3+4 8. C8+3.
With a cannon, keep enemy advisors. （有炮留他士）: Referring to a cannon sometimes able to make use of enemy advisors to attack even more effectively.
In the endgame, bring home the cannons. （残局炮归家；炮在后为先）: A proverb referring to how it is often good in the endgame to bring the cannons behind friendly lines, such that advisors and elephants can serve as cannon mounts and help control lines from afar, all while functioning as a defensive blocker for the king.
Cannon blasting the sand （炮辗丹沙）: Referring to the cannon clearing the enemy pieces off their bottom rank with the help of a chariot.
Chariot-cannon cold step （车炮冷着）: Refers to a chariot and cannon suddenly forming a mating attack in an apparently calm position, like a bolt from the blue. See also chariot-horse cold step.
Offering a pair of wine cups （双杯献酒）: Using stacked cannons to attack the opponent’s low elephant for a smothered mate.
Clear-headed cannon （空头炮/空心炮）: A cannon on the central file with nothing between it and the enemy king. Its presence prevents the opponent from interposing anything on the central file, and consequently is an extremely potent attacking pattern that easily leads to mate.
Chariot （车）: A highly mobile and powerful piece, worth about twice of a single cannon or horse. Moves identically to the rook in western chess.
Central chariot （中车/车正）: In the endgame, a chariot on the central file. It prevents the sunken moon mate, and more generally it is a good principle to occupy the central file with king and rook where possible. Proverbs such as “there is no sunken moon against a central chariot” and “there is no losing while the chariot stays in the centre” highlight this.
Active chariot / bright chariot （通头车/高车/明车）: Refers to an actively-placed chariot, unblocked by its own pieces or enemy pieces.
Passive chariot / dark chariot （低头车/暗车）: Refers to a passively-placed chariot, unable to effectively make use of its potential mobility.
Chariot guarding the sword （单车保剑/单车领士）: In the chariot + low pawn versus chariot + advisor endgame, referring to the defensive formation of the chariot + advisor side to prevent the enemy pawn from taking the palace heart, holding a draw.
Three-piece flank / flanking trio （三子归边/三子归边一局棋）: Referring to three major pieces gathering on one flank to create an attack. A myriad of attacking patterns exist for each combination of pieces. Many of them are based around at least one chariot.