counting rod

Calque of Chinese 算籌／算筹 (suànchóu).

counting rod (plural counting rods)

1. (mathematics) One of a set of small bars, used by mathematicians in some Asian countries, placed either horizontally or vertically to represent any number and any fraction.
   • [1983, Rongzhao Mei, “The Decimal Place-Value Numeration and the Rod and Bead Arithmetics”, in 中国古代科技成就 [Ancient China's Technology and Science] (China Knowledge Series)‎, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, →ISBN, →OCLC, pages 58–59:

     In recent archaeological excavations a number of ancient counting-rods have been unearthed. More than 30 rods were found in August 1971 in Qianyang County of Shaanxi Province.]

• rod numeral

• undoctoring