Table tennis (English: ping-pong), also known as billiards in Taiwan (ie "table tennis" (English: table tennis for short), Cantonese colloquially as ping-pong wave, is a game played by two or more people. In many parts of the world, four players hit a light ball back and forth on a table with a small racket (that is, a ping-pong bat) or hit a table-tennis ball with a ping-pong bat. The net tables compete against one another. It can be played as singles or doubles, with both sides hitting each other until one cannot return the ball and the other easily scores. Racket sports include table tennis, badminton, and tennis.

The sport originated in Victorian England as an after-dinner parlor game for the upper class[4][5]. Originally known as "table tennis," they are now also known as "indoor tennis" (indoor tennis).Table tennis flourished in Europe and Asia in the early twentieth century. The International Table Tennis Invitational Tournament took place in Berlin, Germany, in 1926, and the International Table Tennis Federation was formed at the same time. The first World Table Tennis Championships opened a new chapter in table tennis history and laid the groundwork for future world championships. The World Table Tennis Championships were held once a year from 1926 to 1939. The ITTF decided to separate individual and team competitions beginning with the 47th World Table Tennis Championships in 2003. Table tennis rackets, game balls, and rules have all changed dramatically over the years.The original racket was a slightly processed wooden board, and it was later covered in sheepskin. Later, the Europeans coated the racket with rubber particles. The racket with thick sponge was invented by the Japanese in the early 1950s.

In the summer of 1988, table tennis was officially recognized as an Olympic sport for the first time.