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Ceki or CherkiThe spelling Cherki seems to be more common in Malaysia and Singapore. It can also be written Tjeki in older Indonesian orthographies or چکي in Jawi script. The word apparently comes from Amoy (Hokkien) Chinese chít ki (一枝),A[p. 48] “one card”, perhaps referring to the pick-one/play-one nature of the most common Ceki games. A similar origin is suggested by Amaro (1993), who gives jī ki ‘two cards’ (二枝). Gambling Games of Malaya gives the name as 織箕 ‘weave baskets’ (chitki) but I have not found this elsewhere; perhaps it is a phonetic back-formation. Other spellings I have seen include cuki,D[p. 72] cekianE[p. 174] or tyekénF[p. 160] or sikiah,G[p. 679] or chĕki.H[p. 53] or Koa cards are widely used in Indonesia and parts of Malaysia and Singapore. They were originally derived from Chinese 3-suited money cards (particularly the “Water Margin” type), and over time and distance the imagery on the cards developed into smaller, simpler, and more abstract forms, while retaining the original deck structure.
“Ceki” (see sidenote #1) probably originally referred only to a game played with the cards; the cards were referred to in Malay as daun ceki (‘ceki cards’).Daun, literally meaning ‘leaf’, is nearly equivalent in usage to the Hokkien 枝, meaning twig or cards, or other long thing objects. Thus the full expansion of daun ceki is somewhat tautological, meaning “one-card cards”. More modern names used in Indonesia are kartu ceki, kartu cilik (‘small cards’ — European cards are ‘big cards’), or kartu cina (‘Chinese cards’).
The games were originally played throughout the Malaysian Archipelago. Ceki games are also played amongst members of “reterritorialized” Indonesian Chinese communities within mainland China.I[p. 555]
Countries where Ceki cards are used.
© George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎
Malaysia & Singapore
The use of Cherki cards in Malaysia & Singapore was introduced by Peranakan (Baba–Nyonya) communities. Much of the terminology and card naming derives from Hokkien, and the cards used are closer to their ancestral forms than those used in Indonesia.

An exhibition game using Cherki cards being played in Penang, Malaysia.
© Shutterstock.com/Fiqah Anugerah Dah Besa: 1293448237
In the past the game was played by all levels of society; records of the palace expenditure of the Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim of Kedah (1864–1943) from 1896–99 indicate that he enjoyed gambling with Ceki.J[p. 58]
More recent accounts from Malaysia & Singapore indicate that the game was almost exclusively played by women, and in modern times it has nearly died out. The Babas reported that by the 1980s it was only possible to get cards in Melaka. However, there are ongoing efforts to preserve and repopularize the game.
Amongst Kristang (or Christão) communities in Malacca, the cards were known as chaqui or chiqui.B[p. 34]
Indonesia
In Indonesia, Ceki games are still popular, especially in Sumatra, Java, and Bali, all of which have historically had a large Chinese influence. In Javanese the cards are also known as kertu cilik (‘small cards’).G[p. 365]
During the colonial era, cards were manufactured in Europe by Dutch companies and exported to Indonesia. (See the manufacturers section below.)

Javanese card players, by Jean Demmeni (1866–1939). There are three players playing a fishing game, perhaps Pèi (there are probably too many cards in the centre for it to be Thothit). 🅮
In Bali, the game is widely played and has “a large if not fanatical following”,L[p. 170] despite gambling being illegal. Cards are readily available at many convenience stores.

Balinese men playing a gambling game.
The game is particularly popular amongst the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, as the Dutch card-making company Handelsvereniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V. had a factoryThis building was later to become the Hotel Ambacang, which was destroyed in the 2009 Sumatran earthquakes. The company also had offices in Java & Sulawesi (previously known as Celebes). in the city of Padang. In the Minang language, they are called Koa (or Kowah).This appears to have been كوا in old Malay orthography.M[p. 542] The Minangkabau go so far as to say “kalau ga bisa main KOA berarti bukan orang Minang”: “if you can’t play Koa, it’s means you’re not a Minang”.N
In Buginese and Makassarese, both spoken in South Sulawesi, the game is also called kowa (ᨀᨚᨓ in Lontara script).O[p. 63]P[p. 46]

The game has also been carried to Suriname by Javanese emigrants. This image shows it being played at the time of the visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1955.
The game being played here seems to be one that has “rooster” (jago) bets.
1955 Nationaal Archief 🅮
The Deck
The cards run kepala (literally ‘head’, Javanese ꦏꦥꦭ kapala), contains two copies of each card, giving 60 total. In Banyuwangi it is called a ꦫꦚ꧀ꦕꦏ꧀ rancak ‘piece of wood’ or ‘set of instruments’.Q[p. 74] Many Ceki games require multiple kepala to play, often two sets (giving 120 cards).
in three suits, and there are three ‘honour cards’, giving 30 different cards. Each deck, orThe three suits have various names.R[p. 119] ‘Coins’, ‘strings’, and ‘myriads’ are the terms I use for consistency across different types of money-suited cards.
- Coins
hitam (‘black’), batik, piah (from Hokkien 餅 ‘round thing’), or tong (from Hokkien 筒 ‘barrel’)
- Strings
manek (‘bead’), sok (from Hokkien 索 ‘rope’), or tiau (from Hokkien 條 ‘long/thin object’)
in Java, lintrik (ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ ‘rows’?)S- Myriads (Numbers)
ban (from Hokkien bān 萬/万 ‘myriad’), or cina (‘Chinese’)
in Java, wong (ꦮꦺꦴꦁ ‘people’)S
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
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Strings | ![]() |
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Myriads | ![]() |
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Card Names
For each card in the table below I show (in left-to-right order):
- a card from a 19th-century deck collected in The manners and customs of the Chinese of the straits settlements,
- a card from a different 19th-century deck from Young (1886, p. 300) (as reproduced in Javaanse Kaartspelen: bijdrage tot de beschrijving van land en volk [Javanese Card Games]),
- a card from a deck produced by Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop (after 1933), a Dutch company,The cards as depicted in Een blik in het Javaansche volksleven [A glimpse into Javanese folk life] (pl. XVI) are identical to these.
- a 1940s deck collected in Javaanse Kaartspelen: bijdrage tot de beschrijving van land en volk [Javanese Card Games],
- and then a modern card from a deck purchased in Bali in 2019 (clearly derived from #3).
Modern Malaysian & Singaporean decks (of which I have no samplesYet! Can you help with this? Contact me!) are closer in style to the #1 deck.
Each card in the deck has its own name as listed in the table below. The translations in the table are mostly from the SEAlang dictionaries; any mistakes are my own.According to some sources, the word “cina” referring to a Chinese person is now considered a potentially derogatory term. For example, the Indonesian government no longer uses it in official communications, since the term was dropped from official usage by presidential decree in 2014.W In Malaysia/Singapore the names are based on the Hokkien names of the cards — a combination of suit and rank — but as we move in a south-easterly direction along the Malay Archipelago (the table below is listed roughly in this order), the names diverge further and further from this original source, and most cards have nicknames that are based upon their appearance rather than their numeric value.
⚠️ The table is very wide and might scroll horizontally.
Malaysia/Singapore | Sumatra | Java | Bali | Lombok | Borneo | Sulawesi | Maluku | Timor | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cards | General | Malacca (Kristang) (1972)B | Malacca (Kristang) (2012)Z | Padang |
[unstated] |
Pekalongan |
Magelang |
Yogyakarta |
Surakarta |
[Surabaya?] |
Banyuwangi |
[Badung?] |
Badung |
Gianyar |
Klungkung |
Karangasem |
Buleleng |
Singaraja |
Lombok |
Lombok |
Banjarmasin |
Manado |
Ambon |
Timor |
Honour & Rank 1 | yu or yeo, from Hokkien io 幺, ‘ace’ | cartas fortes ‘strong cards’, for the first three |
yoh (Hokkien io) |
hiu/iyu ‘shark’, looks like a fin | ||||||||||||||||||||
Old Thousand © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu lau chian, from Hokkien 老千 ‘old thousand’ or yu pinding |
yo sekarat, yo mitadi candlenut, one half |
obu egg |
danau rezeki, hiu/babak [chapter?] shark |
ꦫꦗ raja king |
iyo ratu king ace |
iyo ratu king ace |
iyo ratu king ace |
iyo ratu king ace |
besar large |
besar large |
raja king |
raja king |
(oong) raja | (oong) raja | kobar burning |
kobar (oong besar KBW) | kobar burning |
kobar burning |
kobar burning |
abang/raja basar | laucan, lokjan | meirah lokjan | meirah besar |
White Flower © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu kuching cat ace |
yo feme one woman |
femi/fula woman/vagina |
hiu kuciang cat shark |
ꦏꦸꦕꦶꦁ kucing cat |
kucing cat |
kucing cat |
kucing cat |
(iyo) kucing cat ace curut rat |
kucing cat |
kucing cat |
cakra chakra |
cakra chakra |
cakra chakra |
cakra chakra |
cepe | cakra chakra |
cakra chakra |
cpé ? |
rerepé | kucing | kukis | parampuwan woman |
kucing |
Red Flower © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu nyonya (娘仔?) ace |
yo fogu one fire |
sekeras candlenut |
hiu merah red shark or penci [a hat?] |
ꦏꦼꦚ꧀ꦕꦶ kêñci [unknown] |
kenci | kenci | kenci | kinci, pinci, iyo kenci | cinci [unknown] |
pinci | kenci |
kunci | konci | konci | konci | kinci (kenci KBW) | kenci | kinci | kènci | pinci | kapala | meirah kapala | meirah prik |
1 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu kasut slipper ace (looks like a Nyonya slipper) |
sapatu shoe |
sapatu shoe |
hiu kasuik [unknown] shark |
ꦏꦱꦸꦠ꧀ kasut slipper |
kasut slipper |
kasut slipper |
kasut slipper |
(iyo) kasut slipper |
kesut [var: kasut?] |
kisut wrinkled |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
likas reel |
kasut/butuh [women]; bedor [men] | tikar plaited mat |
tikar plaited mat |
kaso [Saccharum spontaneum? mats are woven from this] |
1 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu panjang or yu burung long or bird ace. In Indonesian, bird is also slang for penis.AD[p. 62] |
pau club |
pau club |
hiu panjang long shark |
ꦧꦼꦢꦺꦴꦂ bêdor |
(iyo) bedor | (iyo) bedor | (iyo) bedor | (iyo) bedor | sotur [probably round-tipped lance] |
bedhul pulled out, uprooted sodor round-tipped lance |
lojor long |
lojor long |
lojor long |
lojor long |
lojor long |
slodor [probably round-tipped lance] |
selodor [probably round-tipped lance] |
selodor [probably round-tipped lance] |
(lojor?) | panjang long |
panjang long |
panjang long |
panjang long |
1 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | yu hue sio from Hokkien ‘monk’ 和尚 |
China/ladrán China/thief |
China China |
hiu bungo flower shark |
ꦥꦼꦠꦶꦏ꧀ pêtik |
beset peeled [bald?] |
gundhul bald pletik spark |
(iyo) gundhul bald petik [spark?] |
(iyo) gundhul bald petik [spark?] |
p’té [unknown] |
putri woman or princess |
cina China |
cina | cina | cina | cina | cina | cina | cina | cina | nyonyah | cina | cina | cina |
Rank 2 | ji (Hokkien jī) |
— | gee (Hokkien jī) |
bengkok ‘crooked’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | ji hitam or ji bulat black or round two |
bola ball |
bola ball |
bengkok itam/wajik black/diamond crooked |
ꦥ꧀ꦭꦺꦴꦩ꧀ꦥꦺꦴꦁ plompong gaping mouth |
pelong wide open |
plompong gaping mouth |
loro plompong gaping two plontho prostitute |
loro plompong gaping two plontho prostitute |
dhimpil tolu chipped [fifth week of Javanese calendar?] |
komplong to gape |
bug dua [two dried betel nuts?] |
jebug dua | jebug dua ponggang hole |
jabog dua | ponggang hole |
gobog dua (omplong KBW) | gobog dua | jebug dua | gobog dua | tambur dua two drums palumpung [?] |
duwa mata | duwa mata | batik |
2 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | ji burung bird two |
beechu worm |
bicu, geli-geli caterpillar, worm |
bengkok gadang big crooked |
ꦢꦺꦁꦏꦺꦏ꧀ déngkék |
dengkek | dengkek | (loro) dengkek | (loro) dengkek | cekok neck-hollow |
dengkek | dengkek having a bent back |
sengkek | sengkek | dengkek | dengkek | dengkek (dengkel, dengkol) | dengkek | dengkek | dengkek | téngkong | bèngkok | bongkok | bongko |
2 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | ji ban |
noiba bride |
noiba bride |
bengkok aluih genteel crooked |
ꦝꦶꦩ꧀ꦥꦶꦭ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ dhimpil cina chipped Chinese |
munthil small tight knot, Javanese hairstyle |
dhimpil chipped |
loro cina China two loro dhimpil chipped two |
loro cina China two loro dhimpil chipped two |
dhimpil wong chipped person |
wong bendhol person with a bump |
pelik [?] |
plik | plik | celik | plik | kolo (gobog, ketonglang KBW) | kolo | kolo | kolo | miring angled |
miring angled |
miring angled |
miring angled |
Rank 3 | sa (Hokkien saⁿ) |
— | sar (Hokkien saⁿ) |
jarum ‘needle’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | sa batik batik three |
crossan heart, or brooch of Cabaia-wood |
batik batik |
jarum wajik/itam diamond/black needle |
ꦮꦗꦶꦏ꧀ wajik diamond |
wajik diamond |
plenthi pithi |
(telu) plenthi tambur cilik small drum telu pithi |
(telu) plenthi tambur cilik small drum telu pithi |
cerut [constricted?] jarum needle |
gebles/gobog cilik/curut | bug telu [three dried betel nuts?] |
bug telu | jbug telu | jabog telu | bug telu | gobog telu | gobog telu | jebug telu | (gobog telu?) | tambur tiga three drums |
tiga mata | tiga mata | kukis |
3 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | sa udang shrimp three |
kambrang shrimp |
kambrang, kotek, cucuk shrimp, penis, pierce |
jarum gadang big needle |
ꦒꦹꦤꦸꦁ gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
(telu) gunung mountain (three) |
(telu) gunung mountain (three) |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
gunung mountain |
(jarum) gunung (needle) mountain |
udang shrimp |
udang shrimp |
udang shrimp |
3 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | sa ban | chuchō prick (Malay cucok) agula needle |
agula needle |
jarum aluih genteel needle |
ꦗꦫꦸꦩ꧀ jarum needle |
telu cina, cingik | telu cina, jarum | singit, jarum | telu cina, jarum, gudhul | jarum wong needle person |
wong cungit, wong curut | caling |
caling | cus | cus | cues | jarum | jarum | jarum | jarum | jarum (alus) | jarum | jarum | jarum |
Rank 4 | si (Hokkien sì) |
— | see (Hokkien sì) |
suduang ‘spoon’(?) | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | si hitam black four |
manuco/rã frog |
kodok frog |
suduang itam/wajik black/diamond spoon |
ꦠꦩ꧀ꦧꦸꦂ tambur drum |
tambur drum |
tambur drum |
tambur gedhé big drum |
papat tambur four drum tambur gedhé big drum |
gobok coin |
gebles/gobod gedhé | belah | bug gede | (jebug) belah | jabog piag | besar | belah (gobog besar) | belah | besar | gobog besar | tambur (satu) | as | tambur | ekor |
4 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | si putih white four |
basio plate |
basiu plate |
pinggang waist |
ꦕꦮꦁ cawang forked |
gapet | cawang forked pat pedhot interrupted four |
(pat) cawang forked (four) |
(pat) cawang forked (four) |
cawang forked |
cawang forked |
sangkap [unknown] |
sangkap | sangkap (bebed) | sangkap | sangkap | cawang | cawang | cawang | cawang | pinggang | putus | putus pinggang | pinggang |
4 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | si ban | ryiami/curto short |
nyami yam |
suduang putiah white spoon |
ꦕꦶꦤ cina China/Chinese |
bodong protruding (navel) |
pat cina Chinese four |
bodong protruding (navel) |
papat cina Chinese four kondhé, nyonyah |
sundhul to reach or touch up high |
wong sundhul person reach or touch up high |
mendut steamed rice flour balls |
gendot | kbong | kobong | kobong | kobong (kebong) | kobong | celek | celek | pajung | kondei | kondei | kondei |
Rank 5 | go (Hokkien gō͘) |
— | goh (Hokkien gō͘) |
babi ‘pig’ (looks like nostrils) | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | go pending pending five |
panding sarong-fastener |
pending sarong-fastener |
babi pusek navel pig |
ꦧꦧꦶꦏꦟ꧀ꦛꦺꦴꦁ (modern ꦏꦤ꧀ꦛꦺꦴꦁ) babi kaṇthong (kanthong) pig bag |
kanthong bag |
kanthong bag |
(lima) kanthong bag (five) lumpang mortar |
(lima) kanthong bag (five) lumpang mortar |
cupa [unknown] |
pau wudel navel bodong protruding (navel) |
prau boat |
pau | pau | pau[?] | pau[?] | pau | pau | perahu | pau | klonéng | prahu | pusat navel |
pusat navel |
5 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | go burung bird five |
baker cow |
baka cow |
babi gadang big pig |
ꦧꦧꦶꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ babi lintrik |
lima kleja | lima lintrik, kecuk | tholo | lima linktrik, pecuk | babi lintrik pig [unknown] |
cucuk babi | mategede [unknown] |
sumpul | palu | ? | gogos | gogos | gogos | gogoas | gogos | pantat | têroes | têroes | kio putih |
5 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | go ban | governu/goberno governor europeano european |
ropianu european |
babi aluih genteel pig |
ꦧꦧꦶꦕꦶꦤ babi cina pig China |
gombal rag |
lima cina China five |
babi pig |
lima cina, babi China five, pig |
babi wong pig person |
wong babi person pig |
bongkar [unload: forklift?] |
bongkar | bongkar | pangpang | canggah | polak | polak | polak | polak | babi | babi (pai tuwa) | babi (pai tuwa) | babi (pai tuwa) |
Rank 6 | lak (Hokkien la̍k) |
— | lak (Hokkien la̍k) |
kapik ‘grill’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
6 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | lak hitam black six |
gordo fat |
godra fat |
kapik anam grilled six |
ꦏꦼꦫꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ kêrok ghapit curry-comb tongs |
kerok curry-comb |
kerok curry-comb |
(nem) kerok | (nem) kerok | mendhung dark rain cloud |
kerok curry-comb |
nyem [pun on six?] |
pis nem six coins |
pis nem six coins |
pis nem six coins |
pis nem six coins |
tima nem (pipis nem) six coins |
tima nem (pipis nem) six coins |
pis nem six coins |
tima nem (pipis nem) six coins |
kerok | anam mata | anam kaladi | tarasi |
6 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | lak putih white six |
gala bamboo |
gala bamboo |
kapik manih grilled sweet |
ꦏ꧀ꦭꦺꦗꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ kléja ghapit |
kléja | kléja | (nem) kléja, bagus | (nem) kléja, bagus | candra [moon/month?] |
tanem [high register: to plant?] |
mer [unknown] |
mer | klenténg Chinese temple (onomatopœic: bells)AD[p. 160] |
pengka | mer | mer | mer | mer | mer | bambu bamboo |
bêlah buluh wide stripes tarabei |
bambu bamboo |
bambu bamboo |
6 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | lak ban | osu bone |
osu bone |
kapik aluih grilled genteel |
ꦕꦶꦤꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ cina ghapit Chinese tongs |
nem cina China six |
nem cina China six |
siyong bombyok | nem cina China six |
gabit [probably tongs] |
wong gapit tongs person |
klenténg Chinese temple |
leteng | burat makeup |
burat makeup |
buat [makeup?] |
megat (gapit) | megat | megat | megat | rumah building [temple?] |
lakban | lakban | lakban |
Rank 7 | jit (Hokkien chhit) |
— | chit (Hokkien chhit) |
sisiak ‘scales’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | jit hitam or jit daun black or leaf seven |
lóia flag |
layar sail |
sisiak bendera flag scales |
ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦭꦪꦂ réyab layar sweep hair, sail |
geper | sember, pitu kera | sember | (pitu) kera, keder | layar sail |
layar sail |
paku [fern?] |
pis tu |
pis tu |
pipis pitu seven coins |
bendera | bendera (layar) | bendera (layar) | bendera [flag?] |
bendéra (bendéra layar) | layar | bandéra | bulu ayam | bandéra |
7 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | jit burung bird seven |
galinha chicken |
galinha chicken |
sisiak gadang big scales |
ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ réyab lintrik |
lintrik | pitu kecuk | pitu lintrik, pecuk pitu | pitu lintrik, pecuk pitu | réyab lintrik [unknown] |
cucuk kereg | ringying [unknown] |
merenying | rinying | rinying | curing an instrument or bird-like decoration |
curing an instrument or bird-like decoration |
curing an instrument or bird-like decoration |
curing an instrument or bird-like decoration |
curing an instrument or bird-like decoration |
bulu | galéma | gohu | josef |
7 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | jit ban | malayu malay |
malayu malay |
sisiak aluih genteel scales |
ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ réyab cina |
pitu cina China seven |
pitu cina China seven |
pitu cina China seven |
pitu cina China seven |
reab wong [unknown] |
wong kereg | ringgit serrated |
ringgit serrated |
ringgit serrated |
ringgit serrated |
ringgit serrated |
ringgit (bagus) (fine) serrated |
ringgit serrated |
ringgit | ringgit | sisir comb |
ringgit | sisir comb |
sisir comb |
Rank 8 | puek (Hokkien poeh) |
— | sepet ‘half-closed (eyes)’ |
pacah ‘broken’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | puek kerang cockle eight |
brau ship |
prau ship |
pacah lapan broken eight |
ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦥꦶꦕꦶꦱ꧀ lêkok picis |
wolu kerok | picis, wolu kerok | (wolu) picis, (wolu) wang | (wolu) picis, (wolu) wang | lekok pecis dented [peci or coin?] |
picis, buthak, buthak tai | sekutus [adj:eight?] |
pis tus eight coins |
pis tus eight coins |
pipis kutus eight coins |
pis tus eight coins |
tima kutus | tima kutus | pis ulu eight coins |
(tima kutus?) | dalapan eight |
delapan mata | delapan kaladi | delapan |
8 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | puek menak noble eight |
baji/dosi sweet |
manis/dosi sweet |
pacah manih broken sweet |
ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ lêkok lintrik |
wolu manis | wolu lintrik, manis | manis | wolu lintrik/pecuk/manis | lekok lintrik dented [unknown] |
cucuk buthak/manis | ulu eight |
madek | ulu | ulu | manis sweet |
manis | manis | manis | manis | manis | manis | manis | cinta |
8 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | puek ban | belu old |
belu old |
pacah aluih broken genteel |
ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ lêkok cina |
budheg [deaf/stupid?] |
wolu cina China eight |
budheg [deaf/stupid?] |
wolu cina China eight |
lekok wong dented person |
wong buthak | manak to be born |
manak to be born |
manak to be born |
celek | lepok | klepok | kelepok | kelepok | kelepok | pecah broken? |
dukun a shaman |
picah kapala | picah |
Rank 9 | kau (Hokkien káu) |
— | kau (Hokkien káu) |
tali ‘rope’ | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 Coins © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | kau hitam black nine |
Mōru Moor/Indian |
Mōru Moor/Indian |
tali bulek round rope |
ꦒꦁꦥꦶꦕꦶꦱ꧀ gang picis gap money |
glindhing wheels |
glindhing wheels |
(sanga) glindhing, plolo picis gedhé large coins |
(sanga) glindhing, plolo picis gedhé large coins |
pecis [peci or coin?] |
picis money glindhing wheels |
sanga nine |
sanga nine |
sanga nine |
pis sanga nine coins |
sanga nine |
trompong Balinese gamelan |
terompong [probably Balinese gamelan] |
gada a mace |
gada | bulat galéndéng |
roda | rupiah | rupiah |
9 Strings © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | kau merah red nine |
botol/bottle/whisky bottle |
botel bottle |
tali merah red rope |
ꦒꦁꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ gang lintrik |
sanga bang red nine |
sanga bang red nine |
obor torch |
sanga ban/lintrik rows or red nine obor torch |
gang abang red gap |
cucuk abang/besar red/large prick |
besar large |
gesar | besar | lintrik besar | téja shining/red |
téja shining/red |
téja shining/red |
téja shining/red |
téja shining/red |
léntri, lantri | kacang [bean/clitoris?] |
meirah kacang | kio meirah |
9 Myriads © George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎 | kau ban | Mary, Mérri, Maria, Kau Mary Mary |
Mary Mary |
tali aluih genteel rope |
ꦒꦁꦕꦶꦤ gang cina |
keyang | keyang | keyang | sanga cina, kayang, kéyang | gang gap |
wong cucuk | kao [unknown] |
kau | kau | kau | jering [upright?] |
jering | jering | jering | jering | turus | gargaji (baduri) | gargaji (baduri) | suwanggi |
Games
There are many games played with Ceki cards.AF[p. 124] For most of them, I do not know of any other sets of rules recorded online.
Fishing games (where players capture cards from a central pool):
- Cholek Tiga (‘draw three’), a Malaysian game for two or three playersAG[p. 214]R[p. 125]
- Pèi, a Javanese game for three players where the goal is to collect specific scoring combinationsQ[p. 58–70]
- Thothit, a Javanese game for three players where the goal is to capture identical pairsQ[p. 71–2]
- Enthit, a similar Javanese game for three players where the goal is to capture identical quadrupletsQ[p. 74]
- Thothit Kuna, an older and slower version of the gameQ[p. 74]
- Thothit Yogyakarta, a luck-based Javanese game for three playersQ[p. 73]
- Thit-Thit-Dulit, a luck-based Javanese game for two playersQ[p. 73]
Simple gambling games:
- Sampen is a gambling game from Java that requires no skill
- Thothit Banyuwangi is a similar gameQ[p. 76]
Trick-taking games:
- Kartu Lima is a Javan game with unusual card rankings
Draw & discard games (like Mahjong):
- Balik Satu (‘turn one’), a Malaysian game with no fixed number of playersAG[p. 214]R[p. 122]
- Balik Lima BelasR[p. 127]/Balek Lima BelairAG[p. 124]/Bukak Lima Blas LehK[p. 167] (‘turn fifteen’), an alternate method of scoring Balik Satu
- Chot/Chote/Choke/Kiong, a four-player gameAG[p. 214]R[p. 127]K[p. 167]
- Gonggong, a Javan game for four or six playersQ[p. 94–7]
- Tantanan, a fast-playing Javan game for four playersQ[p. 98]
- Pong a Malaysian version of a Thai game, played by four people, also played with Mahjong tiles
Other games from Malaysia/Singapore, for which I have no rules, are:
- Pak Tui, a solitaire gameAG[p. 215]
- Choke/Chote (Ramay), a game for more than four playersAG[p. 214]
- Tongkeng, a game for two peopleAG[p. 215]
- Cho It and ChochotAH[p. 88] — could Chochot be the same as Chot or Thothit?
In some descriptions, Ceki is itself a game (a variant of Balik Satu) and the cards called by other names such as ijo. Een blik in het Javaansche volksleven [A glimpse into Javanese folk life] (p. 499) gives the games koa, koa-baq, koa-gonggong (Gonggong), pehi (Pèi?), patui, panghao, and cĕki, but without explanations.
Manufacturers & Brands

The logo for Handelsvereeniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V..
© George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎
(Extinct) European manufacturers included:
- Camoin, a French company that was based in Marseille
- Handelsvereeniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V., a Dutch company that had offices in Java, Sumatra, and Celebes (Sulawesi)AI
- Mesmaekers
Frères, a Belgian company based in Turnhout whose cards were imported to Java by Brandon Mesritz & Co.AJ Their brands included:
- Dua Macan (‘two tigers’), trademark registered 15th October 1887.AK[p. 32] This brand was also used for other types of cards, like domino cards.

Newspaper advertisement in Sin Po, 20th March 1922, for Mesmaekers Frères’ Dua Macan (‘two tigers’) brand ceki cards (kartoe tjeki), being sold by Handel Mij. (also publishers of the newspaper). 🅮
- Cartamundi, a Belgian company based in Turnhout, and now the largest manufacturer of playing cards in the world. Their brands included:
- Three Goats Brand (also labelled 行通南?), trademark registered 26 July 1972.AK[p. 47] Decks containing Ceki cards seem to have been in a red packet and labelled ‘A’; green and ‘B’ were four-colour cards.
Old Indonesian brands included:
- Bajing (‘squirrel’)Q[p. 12]
- PajungQ[p. 12]
- 999Q[p. 12]
- Leo (‘lion’)Q[p. 12]
- Warak (‘rhino’)Q[p. 12]
- Kodok (‘frog’)Q[p. 12]
- Kunci (‘lock/key’)Q[p. 12]
Modern Indonesian brands include:
- $ Dollar
- Ceki Jitu/Cap Udang, ‘shrimp brand’; trademark registered 8th September, 2009
- Ceki Hiu, ‘shark ceki’ (Old Thousand has a colour image of a shark)
- Ceki Kalong Mas (bat symbol, Old Thousand inscribed 𫑟林?)
- Ceki Leak, a mythological creature; trademark registered 27th August, 2013
- Ceki Sinar Rejeki, ‘lucky ray’?
- Flipper Brand
- Gold Fish
- Gunting Baja, from Bali
- Gunting Rumput
- Gar’da Kencana
- Jangkar Kapal, ‘ship anchor’
- Kabuki
- Kalajengking, ‘scorpion’
- Kapal Ferry (Old Thousand has a colour image of a ship)
- Liberty/777 (with an image of the Statue of Liberty)
- Lintrik Cap Semar
- Pura Dewa, from Bali
- Tjap Klabang (cap klabang), ‘centipede brand’; trademark registered 28th October, 2015
The only current Malaysian manufacturer I know of is Yong Guan Heng & Co., who sell Cherki cards under the Single Lion brand (單獅嘜).
Credits
Special thanks to Aditya for double-checking my Javanese transcriptions.
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