Does xiangqi use touch-move?

These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.

Direct answer

Yes in formal play. Touch a piece and you must move it if it has any legal move; touch an enemy piece and you must capture it if you legally can. If the piece you touched has no legal move, there is no penalty. Casual and park games usually ignore this entirely.

Adjusting a piece

As in chess, you may straighten a piece on its point without committing to move it, by saying so first. The convention differs by region and language, but announcing the intention before touching is universally accepted.

Why it matters more here

Pieces are flat discs sitting on intersections, and they get nudged. Adjusting is more frequently necessary than with chess pieces in squares, so the announcement habit is worth having from the start.

Related questions

What if I touch a piece that cannot move?

Nothing happens. You play another move as normal.

Is touch-move used online?

Not meaningfully — a move is made when it is submitted. Premoves and drag-cancel behaviour vary by client.

Try it on a real board

Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.