Glossary
Mahjong Terms You Should Know
Whether you're brand new to the table or a seasoned player, this glossary covers the essential terminology for American Mahjong and beyond.
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A
C
Charleston
The Charleston is the tile pass before play in American Mahjong: three tiles right, then across, then left, with an optional second round and a courtesy pass.
Chinese Mahjong
Chinese mahjong is the original game from China. Most versions have no Jokers, no Charleston and no yearly card, and they allow runs of three called chows.
Cold Wall
Cold wall is a house rule some American Mahjong tables use near the end of the wall. It is not in the official NMJL rules, and tables define it differently.
Concealed Hand
A concealed hand is built without calling discards for exposures. NMJL card lines marked C must be played this way, but the winning tile may be a discard.
E
H
J
K
M
N
P
Passing
Passing is how players trade tiles in the Charleston in American Mahjong. Each pass is three tiles, Jokers can never be passed, and some passes can be blind.
Picking
Picking means taking the next tile off the wall when your turn comes. You add it to your hand and discard one tile, unless you called a discard instead.
Pung
A pung is a group of three identical tiles, such as three 5 Bams. You can build one from your own tiles or call a discard to finish it, and Jokers can fill in.
Q
R
Rack
A rack is the long holder that keeps your tiles standing up and hidden from the other players. Exposures go face up on top of it, where everyone can see them.
Riichi
Riichi is the main form of mahjong played in Japan, named for the riichi call a player makes when one tile from winning. Every winning hand needs a yaku.
S
Sextet
A sextet is six identical tiles, the largest group in American Mahjong. A sextet of suit tiles needs at least two Jokers, but six Flowers can make one alone.
Singles and Pairs
Singles and Pairs is a section of the NMJL card where every hand is made only of single tiles and pairs. These hands are concealed and can never use Jokers.