Mahjong Glossary and Terms

Here are some common terms used when playing the game of mahjong.

• Bamboos - Most common name given for one of the suits. Also referred to as Bones or Sticks
• Bonus Tiles - These allow for bonus points
• Characters - The western name given for one of the suits and is also sometimes referred to as Cracks or Ten Thousands
• Chicken Hand - A hand that doesn't give any points.
• China Jade - A hand that consists of only green tiles.
• Chow - A set of three tiles with the same suit in a sequence or run.
• Circles - The western name given for one of the suits and is also sometimes referred to as Coins, Plates, Disks or Moons
• Concealed - A tile or meld that has been complete from tiles drawn from the wall
• Discard - To reject a card which can then be used by another player
• Exposed - A tile or meld that was completed with a tile that was discarded from another player
• Family Hand - A meld consisting of all three suits, winds and dragons.
• Flower Tile - There are usually four of these in a set and are used to give points
• Going Mahjong - Declaring a hand which is worth eight points or more.
• Going Out - Same as Going Mahjong.
• Head - A pair of tiles that is necessary in order to declare going mahjong.
• Honor Tiles - Tiles consisting of Winds and Colors/Dragons.
• Knitted Tiles - Tiles 1-4-7, 2-5-8 and 3-6-9 in different suits.
• Kong - Four identical tiles.
• Major Tiles - Tiles consisting of Honors and Terminals.
• Minor Tiles - Tiles consisting of 2 through 8 in any suit.
• Meld - A combination or set of tiles
• Moons - Alternative name given for Circles
• Open - Alternative name given for exposed
• Pung - Three identical tiles which is sometimes referred to as Pong.
• Self-drawn - A tile that has been drawn from the wall.
• Set - A combination of tiles either chow, pung or kong.
• Simples - Suit tiles which are not terminals.
• Stepped - Chows separated by one or two numbers.
• Sticks - Alternative name given for bamboo tiles.
• Terminals - Tiles one and nine in any suit.
• Twin Chows - Two chows of the same suit.
• Void Suited Hand - A hand that doesn't contain any tiles of one suit.
• Wall - Tiles that are assembled face down at the beginning of the game which are drawn from during play.
• Winds - Tiles that represent North, East, South and West which are associated with each player.