Which is the strongest piece in xiangqi?
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
The chariot, clearly. On the usual scale it is worth about 9, against 4.5 for a cannon and 4 for a horse — so one chariot is worth roughly two horses, or a horse and a cannon together. No other piece is close.
The comparison that decides trades
A chariot against two minor pieces looks level on paper and is usually bad in practice: two pieces need time to coordinate and a chariot does not. If you are offered that trade, ask whether your opponent's two pieces are already working together — if they are, it is a fair deal; if not, you are the one being given a tempo problem.
A chariot is only worth 9 when it has a line
A chariot with no open file is a big piece doing nothing. Before counting it at full value, ask what it attacks. The corollary is the practical one: open a file for it early, rather than hoping one appears.
Related questions
Is a cannon worth more than a horse?
Early yes, late no. The cannon needs a screen and fades as the board empties; the horse gains freedom.
Is the general worth anything?
It has no trade value — losing it ends the game — but in bare endgames it is a genuine attacking piece.
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