[Chinese fan.t’an repeated divisions.] A Chinese gambling game, in which a number of small coins are placed under a bowl and the players then bet as to what will be the remainder when the pile has been divided by four. Also attrib.
1878. Lady Brassey, Voy. Sunbeam, xxiii. 401. A few natives playing at fan-tan.
1888. Pall Mall G., 16 May, 2/1. At their fan-tan tables lads of ten … years of age may be seen gambling away their pence.
1888. Times (weekly ed.), 19 Sept., 15/4. The home of fan tan … is the Portuguese colony of Macao.
