Pelinappula

Pelinappula is a Finnish term that denotes a game piece or token used in board games and tabletop games. The word is a compound of peli, meaning game, and nappula, meaning button or knob, reflecting the function of such components as markers or actors on a game board. In Finnish rulebooks and discussions about game design, pelinappula is used as a generic label for any physical piece that players move or use during play, including pawns, tokens, coins, or markers. The exact form and role of pelinappulat vary from game to game, and many games provide several distinct pelinappulat to represent different players, characters, or resources.

In practice, pelinappula can be seen across a wide range of games, from abstract strategy games to family and party games. While some games use simple, uniform pieces, others assign specific pelinappulat to represent different entities or abilities. The term is primarily applied to physical components, but it appears in educational and design contexts as well, where pelinappulae may be counted, moved, or traded as part of gameplay mechanics.

The plural form is pelinappulat, while pelinappula refers to a single game piece. The concept is closely related to broader terms for game components and to the Finnish vocabulary for board games, such as lautapeli and nappula, the latter meaning a button or knob in general. Pelinappula is a practical, descriptive term rather than a reference to a particular game or franchise.