---
title: "Xiangqi vs Janggi (Korean Chess): The Differences · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Janggi uses the same board but allows passing, has no river restriction on elephants, a different elephant move, and a general that uses the palace diagonals."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-the-difference-between-xiangqi-and-janggi
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# What is the difference between xiangqi and janggi?

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
>
> Janggi (장기) uses the **same 9×10 board** but differs substantially: you may **pass a turn**, the **elephant has a longer move** and is not river-bound, the **general and advisors use the palace diagonals**, and the **cannon cannot jump or capture another cannon** and needs a screen to move as well as to capture.

## Why passing changes everything

In xiangqi, having no legal move is a loss. In janggi you can pass, so that situation never arises — which makes janggi endgames behave completely differently, and makes many xiangqi mating patterns impossible there.

## The pieces that differ most

- **Elephant** — janggi's moves one orthogonal then two diagonal, and crosses freely.
- **Cannon** — needs a screen to move, cannot use or capture another cannon.
- **General** — uses the palace diagonals, which xiangqi's does not.
- **Soldier** — janggi's can move sideways from the start.

## Related questions

Can I play janggi on a xiangqi board?

Yes — the grids are compatible. Only the piece rules and the palace markings differ in use.

Which is older?

Janggi derives from xiangqi, with Korean modifications developed over centuries.

## Related xiangqi resources

Xiangqi vs chess

What carries over from western chess, and what does not

How the elephant moves

Two points diagonally, never crosses the river

History of xiangqi

When the game was invented, and what is actually documented

## Try it on a real board

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