American mahjong
American vs Chinese Mahjong: What Is the Difference?
Quick answer
American and Chinese mahjong share most of the same tiles, but the rules differ. American mahjong uses 152 tiles, including 8 jokers. You win by matching a hand on a yearly card. Chinese mahjong uses 144 tiles and no jokers. You win with 4 sets and a pair.
What is the difference between American and Chinese mahjong?
The biggest differences are jokers, the yearly card and how you win. Here is American vs Chinese mahjong, side by side.
| Feature | American | Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Tiles | 152 | 144 |
| Jokers | 8 | None |
| Flowers | 8, all count as the same tile | 4 flowers and 4 seasons, as bonus tiles |
| Winning hand | Must match the yearly card | 4 sets and a pair |
| Runs (chows) | No | Yes |
| Charleston | Yes | No |
| Scoring | Value printed on the card | Points called faan or fan |
How are the tiles different?
American sets have 152 tiles, and Chinese sets have 144. The 8 extra tiles are jokers.
A joker is a wild tile. It can stand in for a tile in a group of 3 or more alike. Chinese mahjong has no jokers.
Flowers work differently, too. In American play, all 8 flowers count as the same tile. You use them in hands.
In Chinese play, the 4 flowers and 4 seasons are bonus tiles. When you draw one, you set it aside and take a new tile.
American tiles also have numbers and letters on them. So you don't need to read Chinese. See how many tiles are in a mahjong set.
How do you win in each style?
In American mahjong, your 14 tiles must match a hand on this year's card. In Chinese mahjong, you also win with 14 tiles: 4 sets and a pair.
A set can be a pung or a kong. A pung is 3 of the same tile, and a kong is 4.
Chinese players can also make a chow. A chow is 3 tiles in a row in one suit, like 3, 4, 5. American mahjong has no chows.
Scoring is different, too. American hands have a value printed on the card.
Chinese and Hong Kong games count points called faan or fan. Most Hong Kong games need at least 3 faan to win.
Learn the Chinese game in how to play Chinese mahjong.
How is play different?
American games start with the Charleston, and Chinese games do not. The Charleston is a tile swap before play. Players pass 3 tiles at a time: right, across, then left.
Calling tiles is different, too. To call means to take a tile another player just threw out, called a discard.
- Chinese: you can take anyone's discard for a pung, a kong or a win. For a chow, you can only take it from the player on your left.
- American: you can call a discard only for a group of 3 or more alike, or to win.
New to the American game? See how to play American mahjong.
Choosing the American game?
Our American sets have 160 or 166 tiles, with the jokers that Chinese sets leave out.
Questions people ask
Which one should I learn first?
Learn the style your friends or local group plays. If your group uses the yearly card, that is American mahjong.
Can you play Chinese mahjong with an American set?
Yes. Take out the jokers and any spare tiles. You are left with the 144 tiles Chinese play uses.
Is Hong Kong mahjong the same as Chinese mahjong?
Hong Kong mahjong is one style of Chinese mahjong. It uses the same tiles and counts points called faan.
Which came first, Chinese or American mahjong?
Chinese mahjong. The game began in China in the mid-1800s and reached the US around 1920. The National Mah Jongg League formed in 1937 to set one American way to play.