Learning Mahjong Tile Types

Introduction

Want to start playing mahjong but feel overwhelmed by 136 tiles? Actually, mahjong tiles have a similar structure to playing cards! By comparing them to playing cards, you’ll clearly understand how mahjong tiles work.

Basic Structure: Similarities Between Playing Cards and Mahjong Tiles

Playing Card Structure

• 4 suits: ♠Spades, ♥Hearts, ♦Diamonds, ♣Clubs
• 13 cards per suit: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K
• 52 cards total (excluding Jokers)

Mahjong Tile Structure

• 3 suit types + honor tiles: Characters, Dots, Bamboo, Honor tiles
• Suits have 9 tiles each (1-9), 7 types of honor tiles
• 4 copies of each tile for 136 tiles total

Suit Tiles = Playing Card Number Cards

Mahjong suit tiles serve the same role as “number cards” in playing cards. Just as playing cards are divided into 4 suits, mahjong is divided into 3 suits.

Characters (Man) = “Money Symbol” Cards

Playing card equivalent: Like ♠Spades Characteristics: Written with Chinese numerals like “一萬”, “二萬”

Tile	Pronunciation	Playing Card Equivalent
一萬	Iiman	Ace of Spades
二萬	Ryanman	2 of Spades
三萬	Sanman	3 of Spades
四萬	Suuman	4 of Spades
五萬	Uuman	5 of Spades
六萬	Rouman	6 of Spades
七萬	Chiiman	7 of Spades
八萬	Paaman	8 of Spades
九萬	Kyuuman	9 of Spades

Dots (Pin) = “Coin Symbol” Cards

Playing card equivalent: Like ♦Diamonds Characteristics: Numbers represented by circular patterns (dots)

Tile	Pronunciation	Features
一筒	Iipin	One large circle
二筒	Ryanpin	Two small circles
三筒	Sanpin	Three small circles
四筒	Suupin	Four small circles
五筒	Uupin	Five small circles
六筒	Roumin	Six small circles
七筒	Chiipin	Seven small circles
八筒	Paapin	Eight small circles
九筒	Kyuupin	Nine small circles

Bamboo (Sou) = “Bamboo Symbol” Cards

Playing card equivalent: Like ♣Clubs Characteristics: Numbers represented by bamboo sticks (except which shows a bird)

Tile	Pronunciation	Features
一索	Iisou	Bird image (special)
二索	Ryansou	2 bamboo sticks
三索	Sansou	3 bamboo sticks
四索	Suusou	4 bamboo sticks
五索	Uusou	5 bamboo sticks
六索	Rousou	6 bamboo sticks
七索	Chiisou	7 bamboo sticks
八索	Paasou	8 bamboo sticks
九索	Kyuusou	9 bamboo sticks

Honor Tiles = Playing Card Face Cards (J, Q, K)

Honor tiles are like “face cards” in playing cards. They have kanji characters instead of numbers, and cannot form sequences (consecutive number combinations).

Wind Tiles = “Direction Face Cards”

Playing card equivalent: Like J, Q, K special cards

Tile	Pronunciation	Meaning
東	Ton	East direction
南	Nan	South direction
西	Shaa	West direction
北	Pei	North direction

Dragon Tiles = “Color Face Cards”

Tile	Pronunciation	Features
白	Haku	Blank white tile
發	Hatsu	Green with “發” character
中	Chun	Red with “中” character

Special Tiles: Red Dora

As a unique mahjong system, there are special red versions of the 5 tiles:

Tile	Pronunciation	Effect
Red Five Characters	Aka Uuman	+1 han just for holding
Red Five Dots	Aka Uupin	+1 han just for holding
Red Five Bamboo	Aka Uusou	+1 han just for holding

Playing card equivalent: Like “special bonus cards”

Important Tile Classifications

Terminal Tiles (Routouhai) = “Edge Numbers”

The 1s and 9s of suit tiles are called terminal tiles:

Characters: Dots: Bamboo:

Terminals and Honors (Yaochuuhai) = “All Special Tiles”

Terminal tiles and honor tiles combined are called terminals and honors:

Memory Tips: Understanding Through Playing Cards

Step 1: Learn the Suits

1. Characters = Money symbols (Chinese numerals)
2. Dots = Coin symbols (number of circles)
3. Bamboo = Bamboo symbols (number of sticks)
4. Honor tiles = Special cards (kanji characters)

Step 2: Learn Number Pronunciations

Number	Reading	Characters Example	Dots Example	Bamboo Example
1	Ii	Iiman	Iipin	Iisou
2	Ryan	Ryanman	Ryanpin	Ryansou
3	San	Sanman	Sanpin	Sansou
4	Suu	Suuman	Suupin	Suusou
5	Uu	Uuman	Uupin	Uusou
6	Rou	Rouman	Roumin	Rousou
7	Chii	Chiiman	Chiipin	Chiisou
8	Paa	Paaman	Paapin	Paasou
9	Kyuu	Kyuuman	Kyuupin	Kyuusou

Summary: Mahjong Tiles as “Advanced Playing Cards”

Comparing mahjong tiles to playing cards:

Element	Playing Cards	Mahjong
Basic Structure	4 suits × 13 cards	3 suit types × 9 tiles + 7 honors
Quantity	1 each (52 total)	4 each (136 total)
Suit Example	♠A ♠2 ♠3
Special Cards	J Q K
Bonus	Joker

Mahjong tiles can be understood as a more strategic evolution of playing cards. By learning while looking at the tile designs, you’ll naturally remember the names!

Start by learning the flow from to , along with the 7 honor tiles , and get familiar while actually playing the game.