The global history and different names of Rock Paper Scissors

The simple hand game of Rock Paper Scissors is a universal phenomenon with a fascinating journey that spans centuries and continents. While commonly seen as a simple decider of disputes, its history reveals a complex evolution of names and forms, originating in ancient China and spreading globally through Japan.

Ancient Origins in Asia

The earliest known form of the game, called shoushiling (hand-gesture order), is documented in a 17th-century book by Ming dynasty writer Xie Zhaozhi, who claimed its origins dated back to the Chinese Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE).

The game was later imported into Japan, where it became known under the general term sansukumi-ken, meaning "fist games of the three who are afraid of one another". Early Japanese versions used different elements:

• Mushi-ken: An adaptation from the Chinese game featuring a frog (thumb), a slug (pinky), and a snake (index finger), based on a belief that the centipede (mistranslated as slug) killed the snake, which bit the frog, which ate the centipede.

• Kitsune-ken: A popular variant involving a fox, a village leader, and a hunter, played with two hands.

The modern version using rock, paper, and scissors developed in Japan in the late 19th century and is called jan-ken or jan-ken-pon (which is based on the Old Japanese words for "one, two, three": hi, fu, mi).

Global Expansion and Variations in Name

The game spread from Japan to the West in the early 20th century, largely due to increased contact. The specific order and name vary significantly by region.

RegionName/TranslationNotesUnited StatesRock Paper Scissors or RoshamboThe name Roshambo is a popular alternative, particularly on the West Coast, though the historical link to a French general is apocryphal.United KingdomScissors Paper Stone or ChingingThe order is often reversed, and "rock" is referred to as "stone".FranceChi-fou-mi or Pierre-papier-ciseaux"Chi-fou-mi" is derived from the Japanese counting words.KoreaGawi-bawi-boTranslates as "scissors, rock, cloth" (paper is often "cloth" in Asian versions).

Philippines

Jak-en-poy or Bato-bato-pickDerived from the Japanese Jan-ken-pon, sometimes accompanied by a song.IndonesiaSuten or SuitSometimes uses alternative symbols like elephant, human, and ant.GermanySchere, Stein, PapierTranslates directly to "Scissors, Stone, Paper".

From ancient Chinese hand games to a worldwide method for settling everything from playground squabbles to multi-million dollar art auctions, the history of this simple yet powerful game is as diverse as its many names.