Tiles and terms
Mahjong Wind Tiles
Quick answer
Mahjong has 4 winds: East, South, West and North. Each wind comes 4 times, for 16 wind tiles in a set. Each seat at the table is also named for a wind. East is the dealer. Play moves to the right, from East to South to West to North.
At a glance
- Winds: East, South, West and North
- Copies of each: 4
- Wind tiles in a set: 16
- Letters on American tiles: E, S, W and N
- The dealer: East
What are the wind tiles in mahjong?
The wind tiles are East, South, West and North. A full set holds 16 of them, 4 of each.
| Wind | Letter on American tiles | Chinese character |
|---|---|---|
| East | E | 東 |
| South | S | 南 |
| West | W | 西 |
| North | N | 北 |
On American tiles, the letter makes each wind easy to read. Winds and the mahjong dragons are known as honor tiles.
Where does each wind sit at the table?
Each player takes a seat named for a wind: East, South, West or North.
East is the dealer. South sits on East's right. West sits across from East, and North sits on East's left.
Play goes to the right, which is counterclockwise. So turns go from East to South, then West, then North. For the rest of the setup, see how to set up mahjong.
How do you choose who is East?
In American play, players roll the dice, and the highest roll becomes East.
- Roll the dice. Each player takes a turn rolling.
- Find the highest roll. That player is East, the dealer.
- Name the other seats. The player on East's right is South. Across is West, and on the left is North.
Some groups pick seats by drawing wind tiles face down instead. Our guide to mahjong dice explains the other ways dice are used.
How are wind tiles used in a game?
Wind tiles go into groups, just like other tiles. Each style adds its own twist.
- American: You can make a pung, which is 3 of one wind, or a kong, which is 4.
- Chinese: Each seat has its own flower and season. They are numbered 1 to 4, from East to North.
- Hong Kong: Drawing your own seat's flower earns 1 extra faan. Faan are the points in Hong Kong scoring.
- Filipino: Winds are usually bonus tiles, set aside like flowers.
Ready to take your seat?
With one of our American or Chinese sets, all 4 wind seats are ready to play.
Questions people ask
What does NEWS mean in mahjong?
NEWS is one of each wind: North, East, West and South. The yearly American card of winning hands writes the group that way. Since the 4 tiles are all different, a joker, the wild tile, can never go in it.
How many players do you need for all 4 winds?
Mahjong is normally played by 4 players, one for each wind. Some styles have versions for 3 or 2 players. See how many players mahjong needs.
Does East start with more tiles?
Yes. East starts with 14 tiles and goes first by throwing away, or discarding, one tile. Everyone else starts with 13.