Mahjong Glossary: 30 Mahjong Terms You Should Know

Originally published in Mahjong Academy. If you’re new to Mahjong, start with our complete guide:
How to Play Mahjong for Beginners.

Introduction

A clear mahjong glossary is one of the fastest ways for beginners to understand the game. Mahjong has its own vocabulary, and new players often feel confused when they hear experienced players talking about melds, chows, pongs, or ready hands.

This Mahjong glossary explains 30 essential Mahjong terms you will commonly hear during a game. From tile names and hand structures to winning and strategy terminology, these definitions will help you follow the game with confidence.

If you are new to Mahjong, you do not need to memorize every term immediately. Instead, use this glossary as a reference while learning and playing. As you gain experience, these words will quickly become part of your natural Mahjong vocabulary.

Core Tiles and Suits

Understanding Mahjong tiles is the first step to understanding Mahjong terminology.

1. Honor Tiles

Honor tiles include all Winds and Dragons. Unlike suited tiles, honor tiles cannot form sequences and are typically used to form triplets or quads.

2. Wind Tiles

East, South, West, and North. Can form triplets and sometimes score bonuses.

3. Dragon Tiles

Red, Green, and White Dragons. Powerful tiles often used in higher-value hands.

4. Characters

One of the three suited tile sets. Number tiles with the character for “ten-thousand.”

5. Bamboos

Numbered tiles shown as sticks. Another of the three suits.

6. Dots

Numbered tiles shown as circles. The third suit.

		Numbers
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Suits	Circles
	Bamboo
	Characters

Hand Structure and Sets

Mahjong hands are built from groups of tiles called sets or melds.

7. Meld

A meld is a completed set of tiles. Standard Mahjong hands contain four melds and one pair.

Melds can be sequences, triplets, or quads.

8. Pair

A pair consists of two identical tiles.

Example:

Every standard Mahjong winning hand requires exactly one pair.

9. Chow (Chi)

A chow is a sequence of three consecutive tiles in the same suit.

Example:

Chows can only be formed from suited tiles.

10. Pong

A pong is a set of three identical tiles.

Example:

Players may claim a discarded tile to complete a pong.

11. Kong

A kong is a set of four identical tiles.

Example:

Declaring a kong allows the player to draw a replacement tile.

12. Concealed Kong

A concealed kong is formed entirely from tiles drawn by the player and remains hidden until declared.

13. Exposed Kong

An exposed kong is created using another player’s discarded tile or by revealing an existing set.

14. Added Kong

An added kong occurs when a player upgrades an exposed pong by adding the fourth tile.

15. Concealed Hand

A concealed hand contains no exposed melds. Some Mahjong rules reward concealed hands with extra points.

Winning, Drawing, and Game Flow

16. Win (Mahjong)

Completing a legal winning hand and declaring victory.

17. Self-Draw Win

Winning with a tile you drew yourself.

18. Discard Win

Winning with a tile discarded by another player.

19. Draw Game

No one wins; the wall runs out.

20. Ready Hand

A hand that is one tile away from winning.

21. Discard Pile

The tiles placed face-up in front of each player.

22. Replacement Tile

A tile drawn from the back of the wall after a Kong or Flower reveal.

Strategy and Common Concepts

hese terms describe common Mahjong strategy ideas.

23. Sequence

Three consecutive tiles in the same suit (another name for Chow).

24. Triplet

Three identical tiles (another name for Pong).

25. Quad

Four identical tiles (another name for Kong).

26. Terminal Tiles

1s and 9s. Important in many special hands.

27. Isolated Tile

A tile that doesn’t connect to anything else; usually a discard candidate.

28. Dead Tile

A tile that cannot complete your hand because all copies are already visible.

29. Defensive Tile

A tile considered safer to discard based on board state.

30. Table Flow

The momentum and rhythm of the game—who is building fast, who is stuck, and how dangerous the board is becoming.

Understanding Mahjong terminology becomes much easier when you practice during structured online Mahjong classes.

Join a Beginner Mahjong Class

Learning Mahjong is much easier with guidance and real gameplay. Our Beginner Mahjong Classes introduce the tiles, hand structures, and game flow step by step in a friendly environment.

Continue Learning with Mahjong Academy

For structured lessons, deeper strategy explanations, and guided practice, explore the Mahjong Academy.

Next Step: Turn Words Into Wins

Now that you understand the key Mahjong terms, the next step is learning how to build stable hands and read the table during real games.

Continue learning with the beginner guide:

What Is Mahjong? A Beginner’s Guide to Tiles, Rules and Strategy.