Mahjong Tiles Explained
Most Mahjong sets begin with the same recognisable families: three numbered suits, four Winds and three Dragons. Learning those groups makes a wall less intimidating, but the tiles used in a game still depend on the chosen rules.
This guide explains the faces you are likely to meet and marks the points where Chinese forms, American Mah Jongg and Riichi differ. It does not identify an unfamiliar physical tile from colour alone; compare the exact set with its contents list.
Written by Wind & Honour Editorial Team. Reviewed 25 August 2026.
The 136-tile core
The core has 34 basic tile types, with four copies of each. Three suits contribute 27 types and the honour group contributes seven. Four copies of 34 types make 136 tiles.
This is a useful counting framework, not a universal promise about the full contents of a box. Many Chinese-style physical sets add bonus tiles, American sets need different special tiles and equipment, and Riichi sets may substitute marked red fives.
Dots or Circles
The Dot suit runs from one to nine. English speakers may call it Dots, Circles or Coins. Four copies of each rank make 36 Dot tiles.
The One Dot often has a distinctive large design, while higher ranks arrange smaller circles in patterns. The colour and drawing style vary by manufacturer. Count the number of symbols and use any printed number as a reading aid; do not expect two sets to use identical art.
Bamboo or Bams
The Bamboo suit also runs from one to nine, with four copies of each rank. It is sometimes called Bams in English-language play.
One Bamboo is a notable exception to the repeated-stick pattern. Many designs replace it with a bird or another individual motif. The remaining ranks arrange bamboo-like marks in groups. A new player should learn the whole face rather than assume that every green mark is Bamboo.
Characters or Craks
The Character suit runs from one to nine. It may be described as Characters, Numbers, Myriads or Craks, depending on the rules and English vocabulary being used.
The face usually combines a Chinese numeral with the character for the unit. Sets made for learners may add an Arabic number. Four copies of each rank again make 36 tiles.
Together, Dots, Bamboo and Characters contribute 108 tiles: 36 in each suit.
The four Winds
East, South, West and North are honour tiles rather than a numbered suit. Each Wind appears four times, creating 16 Wind tiles.
Winds can have roles beyond forming a group in the hand. Seat Wind, prevailing Wind, dealer rotation and scoring treatment depend on the rules. Their printed letters or colours may vary, so learn the underlying characters or use a reliable contents diagram.
Do not infer turn direction from the order of English compass points. Mahjong seating conventions and wall procedures should be read from the selected rules.
The three Dragons
The three Dragon types are commonly called Red, Green and White in English. Four copies of each give 12 Dragon tiles.
Red and Green Dragons often use coloured characters or motifs. The White Dragon can be a blank face, a framed blank area or another simple mark. This is why a new owner should sort four matching White Dragons before deciding that a blank tile is a spare.
The Winds and Dragons together make 28 honour tiles. Add them to the 108 suited tiles and the result is the 136-tile core.
Flowers and Seasons
Many Chinese-style sets add four Flowers and four Seasons. These eight bonus tiles take a 136-tile core to a 144-tile physical set.
Unlike suited and honour tiles, Flowers and Seasons are often supplied as individual illustrated tiles rather than four identical copies. Their use, replacement procedure and scoring differ between rule systems. A set may contain them even when the chosen game leaves them out.
The European Mahjong Association's Riichi rules do not use Flowers or Seasons. Chinese regional forms may use them in different ways. Never add bonus-tile procedure from one form to another only because the physical set includes the tiles.
Jokers, red fives and spares
These categories should not be merged.
American Mah Jongg uses jokers and a current card of hands under its organised rules. Riichi can use red fives as optional replacements for ordinary fives; they do not normally create a fifth playable five in the suit. A manufacturer may also supply blank or printed replacement tiles intended as spares rather than live game pieces.
Sort unfamiliar tiles separately and consult the exact product list and rules. One box can include more physical tiles than enter the wall.
How the families form groups
In several Mahjong forms, three consecutive ranks in one suit can form a chow. Three identical tiles can form a pung, and four identical tiles can form a kong. A pair is two identical tiles.
Winds and Dragons cannot form a numerical sequence because they are not ranked suit tiles. They can form identical groups. Flowers and Seasons are usually handled as bonus tiles rather than ordinary members of a chow or pung, but the exact treatment belongs to the chosen rules.
A common teaching shape is four groups and a pair. It is not a complete definition of every legal winning hand, and scoring requirements can prevent a structurally complete hand from winning in a particular system.
How the main systems differ
| Question | Chinese-style forms | American Mah Jongg | Riichi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core suits and honours | Common | Recognisable, with different hand requirements | Used as the 136-tile base |
| Flowers and Seasons | Common in many physical sets; use varies | Check current rules and set contents | Not used in EMA competition rules |
| Jokers | Depends on the named form | Used under current American rules | Not used in EMA competition rules |
| Red fives | Not a universal feature | Not the defining equipment feature | Optional under some rule codes |
| Complete reference | Name the regional rules | Use current official materials | Use one published Riichi rules code |
For a fuller comparison, read Chinese vs American vs Riichi Mahjong.
A five-minute sorting exercise
- Make three suit rows from one to nine.
- Confirm four copies of each suited rank.
- Group the four Winds and three Dragons, four copies each.
- Set Flowers, Seasons, jokers, red fives and possible spares apart.
- Compare every extra tile with the exact contents list and chosen rules.
Photograph the sorted groups before the first shuffle. This creates a useful reference for learners and a precise record if a tile is missing.
Continue with Mahjong 101 for the table sequence, or use How to set up a Mahjong table when preparing the first hand.
Sources
- European Mahjong Association: Riichi Competition Rules
- World Riichi Championship: WRC Rules
- European Mahjong Association: Mahjong Competition Rules
- British Museum: Chinese Mahjong set
- Wind & Honour Editorial Standards
Updated 25 August 2026.