One of the oldest board games in the world goes by many names. In English it is usually Go. In Chinese it is weiqi, in Korean baduk, in Japanese igo or simply go, and in Vietnamese cờ vây. The rules are essentially the same everywhere; the names reflect how the game travelled and settled in different cultures.
This article explains the main names and why English-speaking players use so many Japanese terms.
Weiqi (Chinese)
In Chinese, the game is called wéiqí. The first character means to surround or encircle, and the second means a board game. So the name is "the surrounding game", a precise description of what players do.
Go is widely believed to have originated in China, although the exact origins are ancient and the details are debated by historians. What is clear is that the game has a very long history in Chinese culture and was traditionally considered one of the refined arts.
Igo and Go (Japanese)
In Japanese, the game is called igo, often shortened to go. The English name "Go" comes from this Japanese word.
Japan developed a strong professional Go tradition, and a great deal of the game's written theory reached Western readers through Japanese sources and Japanese teachers. That history is why so many English Go terms are Japanese.
Baduk (Korean)
In Korean, the game is called baduk. Korea also has a strong professional tradition and a large playing community. Korean players and teachers have influenced modern Go greatly, and you will sometimes see "baduk" used in English, especially by players who learned from Korean sources.
Cờ vây (Vietnamese)
In Vietnamese, Go is cờ vây. Cờ means board game, as in cờ tướng (xiangqi) and cờ vua (chess), and vây means to surround. Like the Chinese name, it describes the game's central idea. The Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese name, vi kỳ, also exists but is rarely used in everyday speech. See Go in Vietnam and Vietnamese Go words.
Why English uses Japanese terms
When Go spread to Europe and North America, much of the teaching material came from Japan. Books were translated from Japanese, and early Western players learned from Japanese professionals and amateurs. As a result, English Go vocabulary adopted Japanese words for concepts that had no simple English equivalent:
- Atari: a stone with one liberty left.
- Sente and gote: keeping or losing the initiative.
- Joseki: standard corner sequences.
- Fuseki: the opening.
- Yose: the endgame.
- Tesuji: a clever tactical move.
- Seki: mutual life.
- Komi: compensation points for White.
Some of these have natural English alternatives, such as "endgame" for yose or "opening" for fuseki, and many players mix both. Others, like atari and sente, have no neat English word, so the Japanese term stays.
The same concepts in several languages
Because Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese share a history of Chinese characters, many Go terms are related across languages. The Japanese joseki, the Chinese dìngshì and the Vietnamese định thức are readings of the same two characters. Similarly, the Chinese term for the endgame, guānzǐ, appears in Vietnamese as quan tử. Learning one language's terms often makes the others easier to recognise.
Does the name change the rules?
Not in any important way. The board, the stones, capturing and the goal of surrounding area are the same everywhere. Differences are in details:
- Scoring: territory scoring is traditional in Japan and Korea, area scoring in China. This site uses area scoring. See territory versus area scoring.
- Komi: values differ slightly with the scoring system; this site uses 7.5.
- Ko and repetition rules: different rule sets handle rare repetitions differently. This site uses positional superko.
Which name should you use?
Use whichever your community uses. In English, "Go" is standard. If you play with Chinese players, "weiqi" is appreciated; with Korean players, "baduk"; with Vietnamese players, "cờ vây". Knowing the local name is a friendly gesture that often opens a conversation.
Playing the game, whatever you call it
On this site you can play the computer on the home page on 9×9 or 13×13, at four levels, and people on the online page on 9×9, 13×13 or 19×19. Sign in on the account page with your email to save and replay your games. The terms from this article appear throughout the site; the Go glossary A to Z collects them in one place.
A reminder about history
The history of Go is long, and some popular stories about its origins are legends rather than documented fact. When you read claims about exact dates or famous inventors, treat them with caution. The game's age and its importance across East Asia are well established; the fine details are still discussed by historians.
Names for the equipment
The equipment also has names worth knowing. The board is called goban in Japanese and is often simply "the board" in English. The stones are sometimes called ishi in Japanese sources, and the bowls that hold them are go-ke. In Vietnamese, the board is bàn cờ and the stones are quân cờ or simply quân. These words appear in shop listings and books, so recognising them helps if you buy a set or read older material.
Board sizes have no special names beyond their numbers. The standard board is 19×19; the smaller 9×9 and 13×13 boards are widely used for teaching, quick games and computer play. The rules do not change with the size: liberties, capture, ko and scoring all work the same way, which is why a beginner can start on 9×9 and move to the full board without learning anything new about the rules themselves.
One last practical note: when searching for learning material or opponents online, try all the names. Searching only for "Go" can return unrelated results, while "weiqi", "baduk" and "cờ vây" lead directly to communities that use those words. Many players find useful resources in several languages simply by knowing which name to type.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the game called Go in English?
The English name comes from the Japanese word go or igo.
What does weiqi mean?
It is the Chinese name, meaning roughly "the surrounding game".
Is baduk the same game as Go?
Yes. Baduk is the Korean name for the same game.
What is Go called in Vietnamese?
Cờ vây, meaning the surrounding game.
Why do English Go books use Japanese words?
Because much early Western Go teaching came from Japanese sources, and their terms became standard.
