Tiles and terms
Mahjong Tiles: Names and Meanings
Quick answer
The mahjong tile names are dots, bams, craks, winds, dragons, flowers and jokers. Dots, bams and craks are the 3 suits, each numbered 1 to 9. Winds and dragons are called honor tiles. In all, an American set holds 152 tiles. Chinese sets skip the jokers and hold 144.
At a glance
- Kinds of tiles: 7
- Suits: dots, bams and craks
- Numbers in each suit: 1 to 9
- Honor tiles: 4 winds and 3 dragons
- Wild tiles: 8 jokers in American sets
What are the mahjong tile names?
There are 7 kinds of mahjong tiles: dots, bams, craks, winds, dragons, flowers and jokers. The table below explains what each one looks like.
| Name | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Dots | Round circles, 1 to 9 |
| Bams | Bamboo sticks, 1 to 9 |
| Craks | A Chinese number, 1 to 9 |
| Winds | East, South, West or North |
| Dragons | Red, green or white |
| Flowers | A flower or season picture |
| Jokers | The wild tile |
The picture shows the count for an American set. A Chinese set has the same tiles minus the 8 jokers. That leaves 144.
What do the mahjong symbols mean?
Most symbols on the tiles are Chinese words for numbers, directions or ideas. These are the ones you will see most.
| Symbol | Found on | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 萬 (wan) | Every crak | 10,000 |
| 東 南 西 北 | The 4 winds | East, South, West, North |
| 中 (zhong) | Red dragon | Center |
| 發 (fa) | Green dragon | Roughly "get rich" |
The white dragon has no word on it. It is blank or has a blue or black frame.
What are the 3 suits called?
The 3 suits are dots, bams and craks. Each suit has the numbers 1 to 9, and a set holds 4 of every tile.
- Dots are also called circles. Count the circles to get the number.
- Bams are also called bamboo. They show sticks, but the 1 bam usually shows a bird.
- Craks are also called characters. A Chinese number sits over the sign for 10,000.
Our guide to mahjong suits shows how to tell them apart.
What are the winds and dragons?
Winds and dragons are the honor tiles. They have no numbers.
There are 4 winds: East, South, West and North. A set has 4 of each, so 16 in all. Read more about mahjong winds.
There are 3 dragons: red, green and white. With 4 of each, a set has 12. Some American players call the white dragon Soap. See mahjong dragons.
What are flowers and jokers?
Flowers and jokers are special tiles with their own rules.
An American set has 8 flowers, and all 8 count as the same tile. In Chinese sets, the 4 flowers and 4 seasons are bonus tiles that you set aside. Learn more about mahjong flowers.
Jokers are wild tiles, and an American set has 8. A joker can only fill in for a tile in a group of 3 or more matching tiles. Our guide to mahjong jokers has the rest.
Want to learn the tiles on your own set?
Choose an American set with jokers and spare tiles, or a Chinese set with 144 tiles.
Questions people ask
Why is there a bird on a mahjong tile?
The bird is the 1 bam. It takes the place of a single bamboo stick. Players often call it the sparrow, and in Japan it is usually a peacock.
Do I need to read Chinese to play mahjong?
Not for American mahjong. American sets add regular numbers and English letters to the tiles. So you can play without reading any Chinese.
Do all mahjong sets have the same tiles?
No. Chinese sets have no jokers. Japanese riichi sets have no flowers or seasons, so they hold 136 tiles.