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Lesson 2 of 13

Mahjong Tile Families

Use the tile pictures to name the suits, honors, flowers, and jokers without getting lost in too much text.

Name the family first, then the tile

American Mahjong tiles are easier to recognize when you start with the family: bams, cracks, dots, winds, dragons, flowers, or jokers. After the family is clear, add the number or table name. That simple order keeps the NMJL card, Charleston passes, and table calls from feeling like separate languages.

  • Family first: bam, crack, dot, wind, dragon, flower, or joker.
  • Then add the number or table name, such as 5 Dot, East, Soap, or Joker.
  • Card colors usually describe suit relationships, not the printed tile color.

Tile families quick guide

Bamboo 1 mahjong tile
Bamboo 2 mahjong tile
Bamboo 3 mahjong tile
Bamboo 4 mahjong tile
Bamboo 5 mahjong tile
Bamboo 6 mahjong tile
Bamboo 7 mahjong tile
Bamboo 8 mahjong tile
Bamboo 9 mahjong tile
Green dragon mahjong tile
Bamboos, or bams, run 1-9 and pair with the Green Dragon in many teaching examples. Bamboo 1 often looks like a bird.
Crack 1 mahjong tile
Crack 2 mahjong tile
Crack 3 mahjong tile
Crack 4 mahjong tile
Crack 5 mahjong tile
Crack 6 mahjong tile
Crack 7 mahjong tile
Crack 8 mahjong tile
Crack 9 mahjong tile
Red dragon mahjong tile
Cracks run 1-9 and pair with the Red Dragon. Many players also call this the character suit.
Dot 1 mahjong tile
Dot 2 mahjong tile
Dot 3 mahjong tile
Dot 4 mahjong tile
Dot 5 mahjong tile
Dot 6 mahjong tile
Dot 7 mahjong tile
Dot 8 mahjong tile
Dot 9 mahjong tile
White dragon mahjong tile
Dots run 1-9 and pair with Soap, also called the White Dragon. Look for circles first, then count the number.
East wind mahjong tile
North wind mahjong tile
West wind mahjong tile
South wind mahjong tile
Winds are honor tiles: East, North, West, and South. They are names, not numbered suit tiles.
Flower 1 mahjong tile
Flowers: usually 8 in American Mah Jongg. Flower artwork can vary, but they fill flower spots.
Joker mahjong tile
Jokers: usually 8. They help larger matching groups, but they cannot be used in singles or pairs.

Take the quiz when you're ready.

Finish the teaching first, then open a short one-question-at-a-time quiz. You need 4 or more correct answers to complete this lesson.

6 questions