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I heard someone say チョンボを犯した in a situation where they could not possibly be
talking about 麻雀. I don't know if he plays 麻雀 or not, but it made me wonder,
how common is using チョンボ to mean mistake among people who don't play 麻雀?
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2018-07-27T11:07:26.753
60444
2018-07-27T21:50:48.363
1761
question
usage colloquial-language
Is チョンボ commonly used to mean mistake (outside of conversations about 麻雀), even by people who don't play it?
Yes, チョンボ can be used in non-mahjong situations. As you know, it is originally
a mahjong term, but its meaning of "making a mistake" has been carried over to
everyday usage. It is even in
[dictionaries](https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E3%83%81%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3%E3%83%9C).

As for how common, I don't hear it all too often, but enough for me not to
automatically assume it's about mahjong just by hearing it.

Note that there are many [mahjong terms that have made it into everyday
use](http://majandofu.com/mahjong-vocabulary#p10). テンパる、メンツ、リーチ、安牌、ワンチャン are
ones I still hear used a lot.
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2018-07-27T21:50:48.363
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2018-07-27T21:50:48.363
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answer