What is Haneman? 6-7 Han Scoring Explained for Beginners

What is Haneman?

Haneman (跳満) is a scoring tier in mahjong, achieved with 6 or 7 han. Parent scores 18,000 points, child scores 12,000 points. The name comes from the points “jumping up” from mangan, hence “haneman” (跳満 = jumping full).

Winning haneman-class hands is crucial for winning mahjong games, often serving as the decisive blow that dramatically changes the game flow.

Detailed Explanation of Haneman

Haneman Point Values

Player	Ron Win	Tsumo Win
Parent (East)	18,000 pts	6,000 all
Child (South/West/North)	12,000 pts	Parent 6,000 / Child 3,000

Han Count and Points Relationship

Han Count	Name	Parent Points	Child Points
3-4 han	Mangan	12,000	8,000
6-7 han	Haneman	18,000	12,000
8-10 han	Baiman	24,000	16,000
11-12 han	Sanbaiman	36,000	24,000
13+ han	Kazoe Yakuman	48,000	32,000

Why No 5 Han Tier?

For historical reasons, 5 han is treated as mangan:

3-5 han = Mangan
6-7 han = Haneman

Usage Examples

Real Game Situations

Example 1: Declaring Win

"Haneman! 12,000 points"
"Riichi ippatsu tsumo sanshoku dora 2, haneman"

Example 2: Hand Building Strategy

"Got 3 dora, haneman is possible"
"Just 1 more han for haneman"

Example 3: Point Situation Judgment

"Haneman tsumo would put me ahead"
"Parent's haneman really hurts"

How to Build Haneman

Basic Combinations

6 Han Examples:

Yaku Combination	Han
Riichi(1) + Ippatsu(1) + Pinfu(1) + Tanyao(1) + Dora 2	6 han
Toitoi(2) + Sanankou(2) + Yakuhai(1) + Dora 1	6 han
Chinitsu(6)	6 han

7 Han Examples:

Yaku Combination	Han
Riichi(1) + Tsumo(1) + Pinfu(1) + Sanshoku(2) + Dora 2	7 han
Chiitoitsu(2) + Dora 5	7 han
Honitsu(3) + Toitoi(2) + Yakuhai(2)	7 han

Importance of Dora

Dora is crucial for building haneman:

Dora Count	Required Yaku	Difficulty
Dora 0	6 han of yaku	Hard
Dora 1-2	4-5 han yaku	Normal
Dora 3+	3 han yaku	Relatively easy

Mangan: 3-5 han scoring tier
Baiman: 8-10 han scoring tier
Sanbaiman: 11-12 han scoring tier
Han: Yaku unit
Dora: 1 han per tile

Common Mistakes and Points to Note

Points Beginners Often Mistake

5 Han is Mangan
- 5 han is not haneman
- Haneman starts at 6 han
Fu Doesn’t Matter
- Haneman and above ignore fu
- Only han count determines score
No Rounding Up
- Both 6 han and 7 han are haneman
- 8 han becomes baiman
Adding Honba
- Add honba to base points
- 18,000 + honba sticks

Haneman Strategy

Hands Likely to Reach Haneman

Dora-heavy hands
- 3+ dora
- Relatively easy to reach
Compound yaku hands
- Tanyao + Pinfu + Sanshoku, etc.
- Combining basic yaku
High-han yaku hands
- Chinitsu (5-6 han)
- Honitsu (2-3 han) + more

Strategy by Situation

Situation	Strategy	Reason
Early	Aim aggressively	Time to build
Mid	Depends on dora	Realistic judgment
Late	Consider mangan settle	Prioritize certainty
As Dealer	Especially aim for it	1.5× value

Impact of Haneman

Why Haneman Matters

Point Impact
- Jump into lead contention
- Big damage to opponents
Psychological Impact
- Changes game flow
- Opponents become cautious
Tactical Impact
- Build a lead
- Can play more defensively

Common Haneman Patterns

Beginner-friendly:

Riichi + Tsumo + Pinfu + Tanyao + Dora 2 = 6 han
Menzen Chinitsu = 6 han
Chiitoitsu + Dora 4 = 6 han

Intermediate level:

Riichi + Ippatsu + Sanshoku + Dora 2 = 6 han
Honitsu + Toitoi + Yakuhai = 6-7 han

Conclusion

Haneman is 6-7 han, scoring 18,000 points for parent and 12,000 for child. As a significant jump from mangan, haneman is an extremely important scoring tier in mahjong. Beginners should remember “haneman starts at 6 han” and aim for haneman by utilizing dora and combining basic yaku. Being able to win haneman significantly improves your win rate. As a first step toward high scores, keep haneman-conscious hand building in mind.