One of the first public hints of improved U.S.-China relations came on April 6, 1971, when the American Ping-Pong team, in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship, received a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues for an all-expense paid visit to the People's Republic. Time magazine called it "The ping heard round the world." On April 10, nine players, four officials, and two spouses¹ stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland, ushering² in an era of "Ping-Pong diplomacy³." They were the first group of Americans allowed into China since the Communist takeover in 1949.

    1971年4月6日，乒乓球曾经作为中美关系友好使者，为两国关系的发展做出了突出的贡献。那时，美国的乒乓球队，在日本参加第31届乒乓球冠军赛事。他们惊奇地接受到来自中国的邀请，费用全由中国承担。正如纽约时代杂志所说，乒乓球的声音回荡全球！4月10日，9名队员，4名官员，两对夫妇登上了香港连接大陆的桥梁，捧出了“乒乓外交”。他们就是从1949年新中国成立以后，第一批踏上中国土地的人们。

    In various ping-pong games, the most famous is the world championship competition, which was held once a year at the beginning, now, it is held twice a year ever since 1957.

    在名目繁多的乒乓球比赛中，最负盛名的是世界乒乓球锦标赛，起初每年举行一次，1957年后改为两年举行一次。

    In 1904, a shanghai shop keeper called Wang Dao WU, brought 10 sets of table tennis tools home, the game was therein introduced to china.

    1904年，上海一家文具店的老板王道午从日本买回10套乒乓球器材.从此,乒乓球运动传入中国。

Let

    When the players cannot agree on the outcome of a point played, and they replay the point. In both cases, no point is scored.

    如果两个比赛选手不能在某点上达成一致意见，他们就会重新进行这个环节的比赛，但在这两种情形下，不记分。

Let Serve

    An otherwise legal serve that is replayed because it touched the net. There are no limits or penalties associated with let serves.

    重发球。一次发球碰网，就会重新进行发球。但是对此没有限制或者惩罚。

Lob

    The defensive⁴ tactic⁵ of returning a smashed ball high over the net, usually with some topspin and/or sidespin, landing near the end of the table. Usually used by a player far behind from the table to make it more difficult for the attacker to smash again.

    此为一种防卫术。其中一个球员站在离网很远的地方，高发球，使球落在对方桌面的边缘上，从而使对方很难进行反攻。

Loop

    An attacker's favorite weapon to set up for a smash. Executed by whipping the wrist and arm to quickly raise the paddle from around the knee to about forehead level, just skimming the ball on the way up. Since this shot generates more topspin than any other, the opponent often blocks the ball back high enough for the attacker to kill. Also very effective in turning an underspin ball into a topspin one.

    铲球。