Tiles and terms
Mahjong Dragon Tiles
Quick answer
Mahjong has 3 dragon tiles: red, green and white. There are 4 of each, so a set has 12 dragons. The red dragon shows 中 and the green dragon shows 發. The white dragon is blank or has a frame. In American play, each dragon goes with a suit, and the white one also means zero.
At a glance
- Dragons: red, green and white
- Copies of each: 4
- Dragon tiles in a set: 12
- Nickname for the white dragon: Soap
- American suit match: red with craks, green with bams, white with dots
What are the dragon tiles in mahjong?
The dragon tiles are red, green and white. A set holds 4 of each color. Here is what is on each one.
| Dragon | What it shows | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 中 (zhong) | Center |
| Green | 發 (fa) | Roughly "get rich" |
| White | A blank face, or a blue or black frame | No word on it |
Like the mahjong winds, dragons are honor tiles. You will not find a number on them.
Which dragon goes with which suit?
In American mahjong, red goes with craks, green goes with bams and white goes with dots.
| Dragon | Suit it goes with |
|---|---|
| Red | Craks |
| Green | Bams |
| White (Soap) | Dots |
Tip: Think of green bamboo. The green dragon goes with bams.
New to dots, bams and craks? Start with our guide to mahjong suits.
What is the Soap tile?
Soap is a nickname for the white dragon. Some American players use it.
The white dragon has a second job, too. American players use a yearly card that lists the winning hands. Some of those hands use the year, like 2026. In those hands, the white dragon plays the part of the 0.
How are dragons used in a game?
Dragons go into groups of the same tile, just like other tiles.
- A pair is 2 of the same dragon.
- A pung is 3 of the same dragon, such as 3 red dragons.
- A kong is 4 of the same dragon.
- In Filipino mahjong, dragons are usually bonus tiles, like flowers. You set them aside instead of keeping them in your hand.
Each group is shown with tiles on our pung, kong and chow page.
Ready to play with all 3 dragons?
Our American and Chinese sets both include all 12 dragon tiles.
Questions people ask
Can a joker be used as a dragon?
Yes, in American play. A joker is a wild tile. It can fill in for a dragon in a group of 3 or more of the same dragon. It can never be a single dragon or part of a pair.
Do Chinese sets have dragons too?
Yes. Chinese and American sets both have the same 12 dragons: 4 red, 4 green and 4 white.
Is there a dragon section on the mahjong card?
Yes. The yearly American card has a section called Winds and Dragons. Dragons show up in other sections too, like the year hands.