What is Jantou?
Jantou is the pair of identical tiles required in a mahjong winning hand. Also called “atama” (head) or “me” (eyes), a standard winning hand needs 4 melds and 1 jantou.
The name “jantou” (sparrow’s head) refers to how the two tiles sit compactly together like a small sparrow’s head.
Basic Winning Structure
Standard winning hand: 4 melds + 1 jantou
Example: 123m 456p 789s EEE 33s
└meld┘ └meld┘ └meld┘ └meld┘ └pair┘Valid Jantou Tiles
| Type | Example | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Number tiles | 11m, 55p, 99s | Any number tile works |
| Honor tiles | EE, WW, CC | Yakuhai gives fu |
| Dora | Any dora pair | Affects score |
Jantou’s Role
-
Required for winning
- Needed except in Chiitoitsu/Kokushi
- Only one required (not two)
-
Determines wait shape
- Tanki: Waiting for jantou
- Shanpon: Two jantou candidates
-
Affects scoring
- Yakuhai pair = 2 fu
- Double wind = 4 fu
Wait Shapes Involving Jantou
| Wait Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Tanki | Waiting for 1 tile to complete pair | Need 1 tile for jantou |
| Shanpon | Two pairs, either becomes jantou | 33·55: wait on 3 or 5 |
| Nobetan | 4-consecutive, edge wait | 1234: wait on 1 or 4 |
Common Mistakes
-
Forgetting jantou
- Too focused on melds
- Can’t win without jantou
-
Bad jantou commitment
- Locking jantou too early
- Missing better waits
-
Yakuhai pair
- Pinfu won’t work
- Affects fu calculation
-
Too many pairs
- Too many toitsu, not enough melds
- Consider switching to Chiitoitsu
Jantou Priority
-
Guest winds
- Safest jantou choice
- No fu, no effect
-
Terminals (1/9) and honors
- Can serve as safe tiles
- Tanyao not possible
-
Middle tile pairs
- Can develop into sequences
- More flexibility
-
Yakuhai / Double winds
- Gives fu but has value
- Situational decision
Making Jantou
| Situation | Solution |
|---|---|
| No pair | Connect isolated tiles |
| One pair | Keep it carefully |
| Multiple pairs | Pick one, use others for melds |
Special Jantou Rules
Pinfu Conditions
- Jantou can’t be yakuhai
- No seat/round/dragon tiles
- Guest winds are OK
Fu Calculation
| Jantou Type | Fu |
|---|---|
| Number / Guest wind | 0 fu |
| Dragon tiles | 2 fu |
| Seat wind | 2 fu |
| Round wind | 2 fu |
| Double wind | 4 fu |
Related Terms
- Toitsu: Same 2 tiles (pair)
- Mentsu: Group of 3 tiles
- Tanki-machi: Pair wait
- Shanpon-machi: Double pair wait
- Pinfu: Yaku with jantou restriction
Summary
Jantou is an essential element for winning in mahjong - always remember the 4 melds + 1 jantou structure. Beginners should secure a jantou candidate early and balance to avoid too many pairs. How you handle the jantou affects both wait quality and score, so understand it well.