Beginner guide
Mahjong Tiles Explained
This lesson uses Mahjong Competition Rules (MCR) whenever a precise rule is needed. Other Chinese and regional tables may differ.
Context: MCRThe 136-tile core has three numbered suits plus Winds and Dragons; a common Chinese set adds eight Flowers and Seasons.
Core idea
Characters, Bamboo, and Dots each run 1β9 with four copies of every rank.
- Only numbered suits can form chows.
- Winds and Dragons are honor tiles.
Use it at the table
Read family before rank, then sort by suit and number.
- Honors make pairs, pungs, or kongs, never chows.
- Flowers and Seasons are bonus tiles under MCR.
Ruleset boundary
Structure, procedure, and scoring are separate checks. Use the official MCR text for competition decisions and confirm another tableβs rules before transferring advice.
Key takeaways
- Characters, Bamboo, and Dots each run 1β9 with four copies of every rank.
- Read family before rank, then sort by suit and number.
- Name the ruleset before applying the lesson.
Lesson checkpoint
Finish lesson & practice Turn the explanation into recall.
Source notes
Reviewed references
- Mahjong Competition RulesWorld Mahjong Organization / European Mahjong Association Β· Reviewed 2026-10-14
MCR structure, play sequence, 81 scoring elements, and the 8-point minimum.