koi-koi

/ˈkɔɪ.kɔɪ/

noun

A Japanese card game for two players played with hanafuda cards, similar to the Korean game of go-stop

Similar

Meanings

nounkoi-koi (uncountable)

alternative koi koi · alternative koikoi

  1. uncountablecard gamesA Japanese card game for two players played with hanafuda cards, similar to the Korean game of go-stop

    In Korea we used to play Hwatu, which means, literally, “the battle of the flowers”, but there were also other games such as Koi-Koi and Go-Stop.

    2015, Anthony Horowitz, “ ‘Pick a Card...’ ” (chapter 10), in Trigger Mortis: A James Bond Novel, Orion, →ISBN
    3 more examples

    Reason: The accused has done gambling so called "Koikoi" "Atosaki" about 5 times, continuing his criminal intent, during the period from August 30, 1946, to September 19, 1946 by using Hana Cards with Takesada Mishina and several others at the house of Takesada Mishina No. 611, Imaichi, Imaichi-machi, Kamitsuga-gun, Tochigi-ken.

    1948, Official Gazette. English Edition: Issues 526-548

    The card game involved, called koi-koi, was a kind of Japanese pelmanism and Mitsu had often seen Taguchi-san engrossed in a game with one of his colleagues during the lunch-break.

    1994, Shūsaku Endō, translated by Mark Williams, The Girl I Left Behind, New Directions, →ISBN, page 67

    Couldn't we play with hanafuda cards instead? I asked. I had a decent amount of experience with oichokabu or koi koi thanks to playing with my mom's family in the countryside.

    2013, Nagaru Tanigawa, translated by Paul Tuttle Starr, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, volume 2, Yen Press, →ISBN
interjection

alternative koi koi · alternative koikoi

  1. card gamesA call made by a potential winner in a round of koi-koi who wishes to continue the round, risking losing the points they earned so far for a chance to earn more points

    All right, koi-koi! Here! Boar, deer, butterfly. Boom!!

    2017, Akiko Higashimura, “The Little Match Girl” (chapter 61), in anonymous translator, Princess Jellyfish 6, Kodansha Comics, →ISBN
    1 more example

    He may also continue, if he thinks he has a chance to make another bonus combination. If he takes this risk, he says, "come on." or "koi koi." but if his opponent makes a bonus combination before he can do so, he forfeits everything gained in that hand.

    1970, Japan Publications, Hanafuda: The Flower Card Game, Japan Publications, →ISBN, page 83

    Synonyms: koi

Synonyms & antonyms

interjectionA call made by a potential winner in a round of koi-koi who wishes to continue the round, risking losing the points they earned so far for a chance to earn more points

Similar

Origin

  1. Japaneseこいこい
  2. Englishkoi-koi

Borrowed from Japanese こいこい (koikoi), a reduplication of 来(こ)い (koi, imperative form of 来(く)る (kuru, “to come”)).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 來來 /来来
  • 來來 /来来 (láilái)Translations
Japanese こいこい, こいこい
  • こいこい (koikoi)Translations
  • こいこい (koikoi)Translations
  • 来い (koi)Translations
Korean 코이코이
  • 코이코이 (koikoi)Translations
Polish koi-koi, koi-koi
  • koi-koiTranslations
  • koi-koiTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

koi-koi. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/koi-koi

MLA

“koi-koi.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/koi-koi. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “koi-koi,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/koi-koi.

Source: koi-koi on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.