Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou: play the indoor chit game online
China's chit game · 警察抓小偷
The 4-player paper chit game Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou (Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou), free in your browser for all ages. Four players, four folded chits: the Police has to catch the Thief.
Also known as
- Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou
- 警察抓小偷
- Police Catch the Thief
- 皇帝宰相警察小偷
- 抽纸条游戏
How to play Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou
- Four players each draw a folded paper chit. Each chit hides one role: Emperor, Minister, Police, Thief.
- The Police reveals their chit. Nobody else says who they are: everyone keeps a straight face.
- The Police studies the faces and accuses one player of being the Thief.
- Everyone opens their chit and scores: The Police picks the Thief from the other three. If caught, the Thief pays a 200 fine to the Police. If the Thief escapes, they take 1000.
- Play 3, 5, 7, 10 or 20 rounds. The highest total wins.
Roles and points
| Role | Local name | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🐉 Emperor | 皇帝 | 1000 |
| 📜 Minister | 宰相 | 800 |
| 👮 Police | 警察 | 500 |
| 🦹 Thief | 小偷 | 0 if caught · 1000 if not |
The special rule
The Police picks the Thief from the other three. If caught, the Thief pays a 200 fine to the Police. If the Thief escapes, they take 1000.
警察要从另外三个人里找出小偷。抓到了，小偷要罚给警察200分；小偷逃掉了，就得1000分！
Scoring example
One round of Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou. Wei is the Police. What everyone scores if the Thief is caught, and if Wei accuses Xiaoming instead:
| Player | Chit | Thief caught | Wrong guess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaoming | 🐉 Huángdì (Emperor) | 1000 | 1000 |
| Lili | 📜 Zǎixiàng (Minister) | 800 | 800 |
| Wei | 👮 Jǐngchá (Police) | 700 | 0 |
| Meimei | 🦹 Xiǎotōu (Thief) | -200 | 1000 |
警察抓小偷怎么玩
四张纸条：皇帝、宰相、警察、小偷，折好后每人抽一张。警察亮明身份，要找出谁是小偷。抓对了，警察得500分，小偷还要罚200分给警察；抓错了，小偷得1000分。
Print the chits
Playing with real paper? Print this page, cut out the four chits, fold them and shuffle.
Questions
How do you play Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou?
Four players each draw a folded paper chit. Each chit hides one role: Emperor, Minister, Police, Thief. The Police reveals their chit. Nobody else says who they are: everyone keeps a straight face. The Police studies the faces and accuses one player of being the Thief. Everyone opens their chit and scores: The Police picks the Thief from the other three. If caught, the Thief pays a 200 fine to the Police. If the Thief escapes, they take 1000. Play 3, 5, 7, 10 or 20 rounds. The highest total wins.
Is Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou free to play online?
Yes. ChitPlay is free, runs in any modern browser on phone or computer, and needs no download or sign-up.
How many players does Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou need?
The classic game needs exactly four players. In CHITPLAY you can play with three computer players, invite up to three friends on their own phones, pass a single phone around, or just watch.
Is Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou only for children?
No. Children, teenagers, parents and grandparents all play it. It takes a minute to learn, and bluffing is just as much fun at any age.
Is Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou a good indoor game?
Yes. On paper all you need is a page and a pen, so it works at home, in a classroom, on a train or during a power cut. Online you only need a phone.
What are the roles in Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou?
Emperor (皇帝), Minister (宰相), Police (警察), Thief (小偷).
What is Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou also called?
Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou, 警察抓小偷, Police Catch the Thief, 皇帝宰相警察小偷, 抽纸条游戏.
Can we play Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou on one phone?
Yes. Choose Single Phone and pass it around: each person secretly opens their own chit, then the Police takes the phone to make the catch. Two to four people can play.
Can I play Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou on my phone?
Yes. ChitPlay works on Android and iPhone browsers. Tap 🔄 to play in landscape, and add it to your home screen to play like an app, even offline.
Which languages can I play Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou in?
The game and the voices are in English. The players' chat bubbles can also be shown in Hinglish, Roman Urdu, Roman Nepali, Roman Bangla, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, German, French, Portuguese or Spanish, all written in Latin letters.
How do you make the chits for Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou at home?
Tear a page into four slips, write Emperor, Minister, Police, Thief on them with the points, fold them and shuffle. Or print the ready-made chits on this page.
How many points does each role get in Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou?
Emperor 1000, Minister 800, Police 500. The Thief gets 0 when caught and 1000 when not caught.
Can you cheat in Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou?
In CHITPLAY the Police can press 🤫 Cheat to try to peek at a chit. Seven times in ten nobody notices, and you see one innocent player's chit, never the Thief's. Three times in ten you are caught: you see nothing, you lose 100 points, and the table lets you hear about it. Computer players try it too.
Tips to win Jingcha Zhua Xiaotou
- As the Thief: act exactly like everyone else. Don't over-explain and don't go too quiet.
- As the Police: watch who looks away, laughs too much, or rushes to say “it's not me”.
- As a royal: acting a little nervous can pull suspicion away from the real Thief.
- Catching the Thief also earns you their 200 fine, so it's worth taking your time.