An American mahjong set can look like a lot of little symbols at first glance. In reality there are only a handful of tile families, and once you recognize them the rest of the game gets much easier. This guide walks through every tile in the set and what it is for. For a printable reference you can keep at the table, see our Know Your Tiles cards, and if you are just starting, read how to play American mahjong first.
The three suits
Most of the set is made up of three suits, each numbered 1 through 9, with four copies of every tile:
- Dots, also called circles, show a number of round dots.
- Bams, short for bamboo, show bamboo sticks. The 1 Bam is often drawn as a bird.
- Craks, short for characters, combine a number with a Chinese character.
That is 108 tiles in total, and these suits are the backbone of nearly every hand on the card.
The honor tiles
Beyond the suits are the honor tiles, which carry no number:
- Winds: North, East, South and West, four of each, for 16 tiles. In American play the winds also set the seating and the deal.
- Dragons: Red, Green and White, four of each, for 12 tiles. In the American game each dragon is linked to a suit, which matters when a hand calls for a dragon in a specific color.
Flowers
There are eight flower tiles. On many cards flowers are interchangeable, so any flower can stand in for another where a hand calls for flowers. They add a decorative, seasonal touch and appear in plenty of hands.
Jokers
The eight jokers are the tiles that make the game uniquely American. A joker is wild inside a group of three or more matching tiles, but it can never be a single tile or part of a pair. Learning when to hold them and when to use them is a skill in itself, which we cover in jokers in American mahjong.
How many tiles in total
Put together, a standard American set has 152 tiles in play: 108 suit tiles, 16 winds, 12 dragons, 8 flowers and 8 jokers. Many retail sets, including ours, add a few spares and sometimes blank tiles, so you will often see them listed as 160 tiles. The extras are handy if a tile is ever lost. You can see full sets in our tile collection.
Reading tiles quickly
The faster you can read tiles, the smoother the game flows, and this is where tile quality matters. Deep engraved faces stay crisp and easy to read for years, where printed faces can wear. We go behind the scenes in how our tiles are made.
Frequently asked questions
How many of each tile are there?
Four of every suit and honor tile, eight flowers and eight jokers, for 152 tiles in play.
What is the difference between bams, dots and craks?
They are the three suits. Dots show circles, bams show bamboo, and craks pair a number with a character.
Are jokers part of the 152 tiles?
Yes. The eight jokers are the American addition to the standard 144 tile set.
Want a reference for the table? Print our Know Your Tiles cards and keep them beside your rack while you learn.