Mahjong Terminology
Are you ready to dive into the world of Mahjong? Strap on your tile-shuffling boots and get ready to unleash your inner Mahjong maven! Just like a secret language only Mahjong players understand, this ancient game comes with its own terminology. Don't worry, I've got you covered with a crash course in Mahjong lingo that will have you laughing your way to victory. From " pung " to " kong " and everything in between, let's unravel the mysteries of Mahjong jargon in a way that will tickle your funny bone and leave you shouting "Mahjong-mazing!" G rab your tiles and prepare to embark on this enlightening journey through the wondrous world of Mahjong lingo. Let the Mahjong madness begin !
Mahjong
Mahjong is derived from the Chinese word for sparrow. According to tradition, the clacking of mahjong tiles sounds like birds chirping.
“Mahjong” is the word you say (or yell!) after matching all 14 tiles in your hand to a line represented on the NMJL playing card.
Suit
Mahjong tiles have 3 numbered suits. Each suit has numbers 1-9 (4 of each number) and a matching dragon. The 3 suits in mahjong are:
Craks , short for Characters
Bams , short for Bamboo
Dots
Dragons
In mahjong , each suit has 4 dragons that match the designated suit. The suits and their matching dragons are:
Craks – Red Dragon
Bams – Green Dragon
Dots – White Dragon A.K.A. “Soap”
The White Dragon can also represent the number “0” on a card. In this instance, it may be used with any of the 3 suits and is considered a neutral tile.
A dragon is represented by the letter “D” on a playing card.
Pung: A set of three identical tiles
A pung is a grouping of three identical tiles. It is one of the basic building blocks for creating a winning hand. Pungs are formed by collecting three tiles of the same suit, flower or wind , such as three 5 Dots or three East Wind tiles.
Kong: A set of four identical tiles
A kong is a grouping of four identical tiles. Kong s are formed by collecting four of the same suit, flower or wind, such as four North Wind tiles, four Green Dragon tiles or four 8 Crak tiles.
Quint: A set of five identical tiles
A quint is a special combination consisting of five identical tiles , usually harder to achieve since jokers are required to complete a quint of any tile in a suit or any wind. Quints are formed by using a joker(s). A quint looks like this – four 3 B ams plus a joker or 3 South Wind tiles plus two jokers.
Chow: A run of three consecutive tiles in the same suit
