Table tennis vs ping pong: is there a difference?
Table tennis and ping pong are the same sport. "Ping-Pong" was an early popular name that became a registered trademark in the early 1900s, so governing bodies adopted "table tennis" as the official name. The rules are the same; what differs is how people play casually and in competition.
In this article
If you grew up playing in a basement or a rec room, you probably call it ping pong. If you watch the Olympics, you hear table tennis. Both names describe the same sport, but each has its own history and is used in a slightly different way.
Here is the real difference between table tennis and ping pong, and why some people insist on one name or the other.
The short answer
Table tennis and ping pong are the same sport, with the same table, net, ball and rules. Table tennis is the official name, used by the ITTF (the International Table Tennis Federation), national governing bodies such as USA Table Tennis, and the Olympics. Ping pong is the popular name, very common in everyday American English.
Where the name ping pong comes from
The sport started in England in the late 19th century as a parlour game that imitated tennis on a dining table. Several manufacturers sold sets under different names, and the one that stuck imitated the sound of the ball hitting the paddle and the table: ping-pong.
In the early 1900s, the English company J. Jaques & Son registered "Ping-Pong" as a trademark, and the American rights went to Parker Brothers. Since the name had an owner, the associations that ran the sport switched to table tennis. The international federation, the ITTF, was founded in 1926 with that name.
So what is the difference in practice?
The sport is the same, but the two names became linked to two ways of playing:
| Ping pong (casual) | Table tennis (competitive) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Home, rec room, school, office, bar | Clubs, leagues, tournaments |
| Paddle | Pre-made, with basic rubber | Custom: blade and rubbers chosen separately |
| Serve | Often house rules | Official ITTF rules |
| Scoring | Sometimes to 21 | Games to 11 |
| Spin | Not much | Central to every stroke |
The most common house rules, like "the serve has to go diagonal" or "games go to 21", come from older versions of the rules or from other sports. Under the official singles rules the serve does not have to go diagonal, and games end at 11. See table tennis rules for the full picture.
Table tennis vs ping pong: ball and paddle
There is no separate "ping pong ball" or "ping pong paddle" under the rules. The official ball is 40 mm and 2.7 g for both. The difference is in quality: cheap recreational sets often come with lighter, less round balls and paddles with thin, hard rubber that produce little spin. Competitive players use balls rated for tournaments and paddles assembled from a blade and two rubbers with sponge.
Some people use "ping pong" for the casual, low-spin game and "table tennis" for the serious, spin-heavy one. That is a cultural distinction, not an official one.
What it is called in other languages
- Portuguese: tênis de mesa (official) or pingue-pongue (popular).
- Spanish: tenis de mesa.
- Chinese: 乒乓球 (pīngpāngqiú), from the same "ping pong" sound.
- Japanese: 卓球 (takkyū), literally "table ball".
- German: Tischtennis.
In China, one of the strongest countries in the sport, the everyday name and the official name are the same, and both come from ping pong. If you are learning the Portuguese terms, see table tennis terms in Portuguese.
Is ping pong an Olympic sport?
Yes, under the name table tennis. It joined the Olympic program at the 1988 Seoul Games and is also part of the Paralympic Games. More in table tennis at the Olympics.
Frequently asked questions
Is ping pong the same as table tennis?
Yes. They are two names for the same sport. Table tennis is the official name and ping pong is the popular one.
Why isn't the official name ping pong?
Because "Ping-Pong" was registered as a trademark in the early 1900s. Governing bodies adopted "table tennis" so the sport would not depend on a brand name.
Are ping pong rules different from table tennis rules?
No. The official rules are the same. What exists are house rules, like games to 21 or a serve that must go diagonal in singles, which are not part of the official rules.
Is a ping pong ball the same as a table tennis ball?
The official ball is the same: 40 mm and 2.7 g. Cheap recreational balls are often lower quality, but there is no separate ping pong ball in the rules.