Know your set

American Mahjong Tiles & Terminology

The suits, honors, bonus tiles, and table language that make the rest of the game easier.

A typical American Mahjong play set has 152 tiles. Some products include additional blanks or replacement tiles, and designs vary—especially for flowers and jokers—but the underlying jobs of the tiles stay consistent.

Mini describes size, not a different game.A mini or travel set can support the same American Mahjong rules when it includes the required tiles. Before buying, compare the exact tile count and dimensions with the rack channel, mat playing area, and bag interior rather than relying on the words “mini” or “travel” alone.

The three numbered suits

Bams (bamboos)

Numbered one through nine. The one bam is traditionally shown as a bird rather than a single bamboo. The other bams use stick-like marks.

Craks (characters)

Numbered one through nine, with a Chinese character that means ten thousand. Depending on the set, small Arabic numerals may make them easier to identify.

Dots (circles)

Numbered one through nine and represented by circular forms. A one dot is usually a single large circle.

A color on the card is not a fixed suit.When a hand uses two or three printed colors, those colors show relationships between suits. You choose which real suit plays each color.

Winds and dragons

The four winds are East, South, West, and North. Dragons are red, green, and white. The white dragon is often a blank tile or a bordered shape and is commonly nicknamed “soap.” On the card, zero is also represented by a white dragon.

Flowers

Flower designs differ widely and are interchangeable in American Mahjong: any flower may be used wherever the card calls for a flower. Some sets include eight distinct designs.

Jokers

Jokers are wild tiles with specific limits. They may substitute in groups of three or more identical tiles, but not in singles or pairs. Learn the important exceptions in our joker guide.

Useful table terms

Rack: the stand that holds your concealed tiles; its top displays exposed groups.
Wall: the rows of face-down tiles built before the deal.
Exposure: a completed group displayed after calling a discard.
Natural: the actual tile named by a pattern, rather than a joker.
Pair: two identical tiles.
Pung: three identical tiles.
Kong: four identical tiles.
Quint: five identical tiles, necessarily using at least one joker.
Dead hand: a hand that can no longer legally win because of an error or an impossible exposure.

Need a word during a game? Bookmark the full Mahjong glossary.

Once the tiles are familiar, learn what happens before play.

The Charleston