koi-koi

• koi koi
• koikoi

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɔɪ.kɔɪ/

koi-koi (uncountable)

2. (card games, hanafuda) A Japanese card game for two players played with hanafuda cards, similar to the Korean game of go-stop
   • 1948, Official Gazette. English Edition: Issues 526-548:

     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.

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

     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.

   • 2013, Nagaru Tanigawa, translated by Paul Tuttle Starr, The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, Yen Press, →ISBN:

     Couldn't we play with hanafuda 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.

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

     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.

koi-koi

1. (card games, hanafuda) A 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

   Synonym: koi

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

     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.

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

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