Balls - Thirty-six suit tiles with pictures of Balls numbering 1-9.

Bamboo - Thirty-six suit tiles with pictures of Bamboo sticks numbering 1-9. The 1 of Bamboo tile is depicted with a bird instead of a Bamboo stick.

Bonus tile - The category of tiles composed of Flowers and Seasons.

Chow - A set that follows a run from the same suit numbering 1-9.

Concealed - A set which is kept hidden in the players hand because it has been created as a result a player drawing the tile from the Wall.

Dealer - The player who distributes the players' opening tiles and begins the game.

Discard - The most recent tile that was placed in the middle of the Wall.

Dragon - Twelve Honor tiles with pictures of red, green and white Dragons.

East - The player who distributes the players' opening tiles and begins the game. Also known as the dealer.

Flower - A set of four different Flowers, each relating to the Wind attached to each player. Also known as a Bonus tile.

Honour tile - The category of tiles composed of Winds and Dragons.

Kong - A set of four identical tiles.

Kong Box - A group of tiles which are separated from the main Wall at the beginning of the game to provide additional tiles for when a player gets a Kong, Season or Flower.

Mahjong - A hand consisting of four sets and an identical pair. The first player to achieve this wins the game.

Major tile - A tile of any suit numbered 1 or 9.

Melded - A set which is displayed openly in front of a concealed hand because it has been created as a result of a player discard or interrupting the flow of the game.

Minor tile - A tile of any suit numbered 2 to 8.

Numbers - Thirty-six suit tiles with the Chinese character of ten thousand numbering 1-9.

Pair - Two identical tiles.

Personal Wind - At the beginning of a game each player is assigned a Wind based on their position on the board in relation to the dealer. This has implications on the Honor and Bonus tiles players can collect to maximize points.

Points - Every player begins the game with 2,000 points. When a player wins they collect points from the opposing players.

Pong - A set of three identical tiles.

Prevailing Wind - At the beginning of a game a Prevailing Wind is chosen. This has implications on the Honor and Bonus tiles players can collect to maximize points.

Season - A set of four different Seasons, each relating to the Wind attached to each player. Also known as a Bonus tile.

Set - A component of a hand, either a Chow, Pong or Kong.

Tally - Used to pay points to the winning player at the end of the game.

Terminal tile - Another name for a Major tile, a Terminal tile is a tile of any suit numbered 1 or 9.

Wall - At the beginning of the game the dealer creates a square Wall two piles of tiles high and 18 tiles long. Tiles are drawn from it during play.

Wind - 16 tiles which feature one of four cardinal directions, players can collect their Personal Wind to maximize points.


Continue Reading