A plain-English guide to the words and phrases used at the American mahjong table — from the tiles in your hand to the rituals of the Charleston to the small rules every group plays a little differently. Use the letters below to jump to a section.
A
Across (noun)
The second of the three Charleston passes. Each player passes three tiles to the player seated directly opposite. The trickiest pass of the Charleston, since you’re handing tiles to your fiercest competition.
B
Bam (noun)
Short for bamboo. One of the three suits in mahjong, numbered one through nine. Most tiles in the suit show stylized bamboo stalks, with the exception of the one bam, which is traditionally illustrated with a bird.
Blind Pass (noun)
During the optional last Charleston, a player may pass one to three tiles without revealing or looking at the tile coming back. A small act of trust at the table.
C
Call (verb)
To vocally claim a tile that another player has just discarded, in order to complete a meld in your own hand. Calling out of turn is a common newcomer mistake and a forgivable one.
Charleston (noun)
The opening tile-exchange ritual unique to American mahjong, in which players pass three tiles right, then across, then left — and optionally pass again in reverse. Named for its rhythmic, dance-like pattern of movement around the table.
Courtesy Pass (noun)
The optional final exchange after the Charleston proper, in which the two players seated across from each other agree to pass one, two, or three tiles. Both players must agree on the number, and both must have that many tiles they’re willing to part with.
Crak (noun)
Short for character, sometimes spelled crack. One of the three suits, numbered one through nine, named for the Chinese character that appears on each tile.
D
Dead Hand (noun)
A hand that can no longer legally win the game, usually because of an improper exposure, an illegal call, or running out of tiles to complete the hand. The player keeps the hand visible but cannot draw, discard, or call for the rest of the round.
Discard (verb / noun)
To place a tile face-up in the center of the table after drawing. As a noun, the tile placed there. Every discard is a small risk: another player may be waiting for exactly that tile.
Dot (noun)
Also called circle. One of the three suits, numbered one through nine, with each tile face showing the corresponding number of circular dots.
Dragon (noun)
One of three special tiles that sit outside the three numbered suits: the red dragon, the green dragon, and the white dragon. The white dragon is most often called soap for its plain, soap-bar-like face.
E
East (noun)
The dealer position at the table, and the player who breaks the wall to begin the game. East is also the most prestigious of the four wind tiles.
Expose (verb)
To reveal a completed meld of tiles by placing it face-up on the rack ledge, usually after calling a discarded tile. Exposed tiles are visible to everyone for the rest of the hand.
F
Flower (noun)
An extra tile that sits outside the three numbered suits, usually set aside on the rack the moment it’s drawn. American mahjong sets typically include eight flowers, and they function as singles in a hand rather than as part of a suit.
H
Hand (noun)
Either the set of tiles a player is currently holding, or the specific combination of tiles a player is trying to assemble to win. “She’s playing a tough hand this round” can mean either.
House Rules (noun)
The local rule variations a specific group, club, or table adopts and plays by, layered on top of standard play. Common house rules cover whether the Charleston is mandatory, how strictly declarations are enforced, what happens after a wall game, and how prizes or points are tracked. The cardinal rule of house rules is to settle them before the first tile is drawn, not in the middle of a hand.
J
Joker (noun)
A wild tile that may substitute for any tile within a meld of three or more (pung, kong, quint, or larger). Jokers cannot be used for pairs or singles. A joker sitting in another player’s exposed meld can be exchanged for the real tile it represents — but once a joker has been discarded, it is dead and cannot be retrieved.
K
Kong (noun)
A meld of four identical tiles, either drawn from one’s own hand or completed by calling a discard. Pronounced to rhyme with song.
M
Mahjong! (interjection)
The declaration a player calls out the moment they complete their winning hand. The game ends immediately on this call. Pronouncing it with a touch of drama is traditional, if not strictly required.
Mat (noun)
The cushioned cloth or vinyl playing surface that sits between the table and the tiles. Mats quiet the sound of shuffling, protect the table, and keep tiles from sliding.
O
One Bam (noun)
The one tile in the bamboo suit, traditionally illustrated with a bird rather than a bamboo stalk. The specific bird varies by tile-set maker — sparrow, peacock, crane, or something stylized — and the tile is sometimes affectionately called the bird tile for that reason.
P
Pair (noun)
Two identical tiles held together as a unit in a hand. Pairs cannot be made or completed using jokers.
Pung (noun)
A meld of three identical tiles. The most common meld in the game and the building block of most winning hands.
Pusher (noun)
A wooden or acrylic frame, sometimes motorized, used to sweep tiles from the center of the table back toward each player’s wall. A small luxury that turns the end-of-round cleanup from a chore into a moment.
Q
Quint (noun)
A meld of five identical tiles, possible only when jokers fill in for some of the five. Quints are an American innovation; you won’t find them in Chinese or Japanese mahjong.
R
Rack (noun)
The long, narrow wooden or acrylic holder along which a player arranges their tiles, hidden from view of opponents. Most racks have a sloped ledge along the front for displaying exposed melds.
S
Single (noun)
A solo tile held in a hand as part of a planned combination. Singles cannot be completed using jokers.
Soap (noun)
Slang for the white dragon tile, named for its plain, soap-bar-like face. In some sets the white dragon is illustrated with a blue or gold “P” or “B” instead of being truly blank.
T
Tile Bag (noun)
The drawstring fabric pouch tiles are kept in when not in play. Most modern sets include a coordinated bag for the dice and coins as well.
W
Wall (noun)
The four square walls of stacked, face-down tiles built at the start of each round, from which players draw. Breaking the wall — choosing where to begin drawing from — is the dealer’s prerogative.
Wall Game (noun)
A round that ends with no winner, because the wall has been drawn down to its end without anyone declaring mahjong. Also called a draw or a push. Depending on house rules, the deal either passes to the next player or stays with East for a re-deal.
Wind (noun)
One of four tiles that sit outside the three numbered suits: North, East, South, and West. Beyond their use in hands, the winds also designate the four player positions at the table for the duration of the game.
Don’t see a term you expected? Send us a note and we’ll consider it for the next update.