チェス versus 西洋将棋; 象棋 versus 中国将棋


I recently came across 西洋将棋 as a translation for _Chess_ and was wondering how
common it is. The reference I have describes it as a "dated term" and I have
mostly seen chess translated as チェス.

In a similar vein, I learned 象棋 to refer to the Chinese game _Xiangqi_ but
came across this word 中国将棋 as a possibility.

There's a nice sort of symmetry here, since in English we often refer to
_Shogi_ (将棋) as "Japanese Chess" and Xiangqi as "Chinese Chess".




Chess is always called チェス in modern Japanese. 西洋将棋 would simply sound
confusing. Someone who heard 西洋将棋 may wonder if you are referring to something
other than that chess everyone knows. According to
[青空文庫全文検索](https://myokoym.net/aozorasearch/), チェス was already the default
word 100 years ago.

As for xiangqi, this game itself is little-known, so I can say almost nothing
from my personal experience. According to Wikipedia, シャンチー, 象棋, 中国将棋 and 中国象棋
are used. Japanese xiangqi players mainly use シャンチー, but if the listener
doesn't know xiangqi (which is likely), 中国将棋 should be a reasonable option.

Unsurprisingly, as an umbrella term for chess-like games, English speakers say
["chess-
like"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_abstract_strategy_games#Chess_and_chess-
like_games), Japanese speakers say ["shogi-like"
(将棋類)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E9%A1%9E%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7#%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E4%BB%A5%E5%A4%96%E3%81%AE%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E9%A1%9E),
and Chinese speakers say ["xiangqi-like"
(象棋類)](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B1%A1%E6%A3%8B#%E8%88%87%E8%A5%BF%E6%B4%8B%E6%A3%8B%E6%AF%94%E8%BC%83).




Chess is always called チェス in modern Japanese. 西洋将棋 would simply sound
confusing. Someone who heard 西洋将棋 may wonder if you are referring to something
other than that chess everyone knows. According to
[青空文庫全文検索](https://myokoym.net/aozorasearch/), チェス was already the default
word 100 years ago.

As for xiangqi, this game itself is little-known, so I can say almost nothing
from my personal experience. According to Wikipedia, シャンチー, 象棋, 中国将棋 and 中国象棋
are used. Japanese xiangqi players mainly use シャンチー, but if the listener
doesn't know xiangqi (which is likely), 中国将棋 should be a reasonable option.

Unsurprisingly, as an umbrella term for chess-like games, English speakers say
["chess-
like"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_abstract_strategy_games#Chess_and_chess-
like_games), Japanese speakers say ["shogi-like"
(将棋類)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E9%A1%9E%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%80%E8%A6%A7#%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E4%BB%A5%E5%A4%96%E3%81%AE%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E9%A1%9E),
and Chinese speakers say ["xiangqi-like"
(象棋類)](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B1%A1%E6%A3%8B#%E8%88%87%E8%A5%BF%E6%B4%8B%E6%A3%8B%E6%AF%94%E8%BC%83).

