Tiles and terms
Mahjong Flower Tiles
Quick answer
An American mahjong set has 8 flower tiles. They all count as the same tile, so any flower matches any other. In Chinese mahjong, the flower tiles are 4 flowers and 4 seasons. They are bonus tiles: you set one aside when you draw it and take a new tile.
At a glance
- Flowers in an American set: 8
- American flowers: all count as the same tile
- Flowers in a Chinese set: 4 flowers and 4 seasons
- Chinese flowers: bonus tiles
- Japanese riichi sets: no flowers
How many flowers are in American mahjong?
There are 8 flowers in American mahjong. Some show flowers and some show seasons. In American play, all 8 count as the same tile.
Your set may come with spare flowers. Only 8 are used in a game.
Flowers are not wild. The 8 jokers are the wild tiles, and they have their own rules. See mahjong jokers.
How do flowers work in American mahjong?
In American mahjong, flowers are part of your hand, just like other tiles.
- Any flower matches any other flower, even if the pictures are different.
- You can make a pung of flowers, which is 3, or a kong, which is 4.
- Flowers are not bonus tiles here. You keep them in your hand.
Here is a made-up example. You hold 3 flower tiles with 3 different pictures. They still make a pung, since every flower counts the same. Learn more about pungs and kongs.
How do flowers work in Chinese mahjong?
In Chinese mahjong, flowers are bonus tiles. They do not stay in your hand. Here is what to do when you draw one.
- Show it. Tell the table you drew a flower.
- Set it aside. Put it next to your tiles, out of your hand.
- Draw again. Take a new tile to replace it.
The 8 bonus tiles in a Chinese set are 4 flowers and 4 seasons. Each one has a Chinese name.
| Flowers | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Plum 梅 | Spring 春 |
| Orchid 蘭 | Summer 夏 |
| Chrysanthemum 菊 | Autumn 秋 |
| Bamboo 竹 | Winter 冬 |
Each flower and season also has a number from 1 to 4. The number matches a seat: 1 is East, 2 is South, 3 is West and 4 is North.
Hong Kong scoring uses faan, which are points. Your own seat's flower adds 1 faan. So does having no flowers at all.
Do all styles use flower tiles?
No. Japanese riichi mahjong is played with no flowers or seasons. Other styles use them in their own way.
- Riichi: no flowers, so a set has 136 tiles.
- Hong Kong: tables choose. With flowers it is 144 tiles, and without them it is 136.
- Filipino: flowers are bonus tiles, and winds and dragons usually count as flowers too.
- Singapore: 4 animal tiles join the flowers as bonus tiles.
- Wright-Patterson: flowers are bonus tiles, and there are no jokers.
To compare full sets, see how many tiles are in a mahjong set.
Need a set with all 8 flowers?
Our American sets include all 8 flowers, plus jokers and spare tiles.
Questions people ask
Can you pass flowers in the Charleston?
Yes. The Charleston is the tile swap before American play starts. Jokers are the only tiles you may never pass. See the Charleston for how it works.
Can you call a discarded flower?
Yes, in American play. A discard is a tile another player throws away. You may call a flower to finish a group of 3 or more flowers, or to win. A called group goes face up on your rack.
Can a joker stand in for a flower?
Yes, in American play, in a group of 3 or more flowers. Single flowers and pairs of flowers must be real tiles.