When I first opened an American Mahjong set, I stared at the tiles like they were alien artifacts. Bamboos? Characters? Dots? What does any of this mean? If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry. I’ve got you.
American Mahjong uses 152 tiles. Let me walk you through every single type, what they’re called, and what they mean.
The Three Suits
Bamboos (Bams)
Green sticks, numbered 1 through 9. The 1 Bamboo usually shows a bird (a sparrow or peacock). Bamboos 2-9 show the corresponding number of bamboo sticks. There are four copies of each, so 36 Bamboo tiles total.
Characters (Craks)
Red Chinese characters, also called “Cracks” or “Wans.” They’re numbered 1 through 9. The top part of each tile shows the Chinese number character, and the bottom shows the “wan” (10,000) character. Four copies of each = 36 Character tiles.
Dots (or Circles)
Circles numbered 1 through 9. Simple, clean, easy to read. The 1 Dot is usually the largest single circle. Four copies each = 36 Dot tiles.
Honor Tiles
Winds
Four wind directions: East, South, West, North. Each has a Chinese character. Four copies of each = 16 wind tiles. East is often the most important — the dealer sits East.
Dragons
Three dragons: Red (center/Chung), Green (fortune/Fa), and White (blank/Pai). Four copies each = 12 dragon tiles. Dragons are powerful in scoring.
Jokers
Eight joker tiles. These are the wild cards that make American Mahjong unique. Jokers can replace almost any tile in your hand. They’re the most fought-over tiles at the table.
Flowers
Eight flower tiles, usually marked with numbers 1-4 and letters F-I-S-H or N-E-W-S. Flowers are bonus tiles — you set them aside and draw replacements. They don’t form part of your hand but add to your score.
Quick Reference
- Bamboos: 1-9, green, bird on 1-Bam, 36 tiles
- Characters: 1-9, red, Chinese numbers, 36 tiles
- Dots: 1-9, circles, 36 tiles
- Winds: E-S-W-N, 16 tiles
- Dragons: Red-Green-White, 12 tiles
- Jokers: 8 wild cards
- Flowers: 8 bonus tiles
- Total: 152 tiles
Try American Mahjong online to see all these tiles in action.
Frequently Asked Questions
0
How many tiles are in an American set?
1
152 tiles: 36 Dots, 36 Bams (Bamboo), 36 Craks (Characters), 16 Winds, 12 Dragons, 8 Flowers, and 8 Jokers. Some sets include 166 tiles for additional flexibility.
2
What do jokers look like?
3
Jokers are typically blank or feature a decorative design. They do not have suit markings. Each set includes 8 identical jokers.
4
Are American tile names different from Chinese?
5
Some American players use English names (Bams for Bamboo, Craks for Characters, Dots for Circles). Chinese terms are also common among experienced players.