Overseas Mahjong Terms: A CN / EN / JP Cheat Sheet
The first wall abroad is often terminology, not rules. This page turns riichi's yaku and dora and American mahjong's pung / joker / Charleston into one Chinese–English–Japanese sheet.
About rule differences
Overseas variants are defined by associations, clubs or the table itself. This page gives the mainstream version to build a frame and read the jargon; in a real game or tournament, the official or table rules win.
1. Why terms first
The same idea has different names: riichi says 'yaku' and 'han', MCR says 'fan', Taiwan/SE Asia say 'tai'. Without the words you can't ask about rules or review a game. Align vocabulary, then talk play.2. Hand and shape
Tenpai (one tile from winning), shanten (steps to tenpai) and furiten (waiting but unable to win) are everyday riichi words. Pung / chow / kong correspond to Japanese pon / chi / kan.3. Scoring
Riichi: han + fu determine points; bonus tiles are dora. Chinese official / MCR: fan, with an 8-fan minimum. Taiwan & SE Asia: tai; flowers are flowers.4. American mahjong vocabulary
NMJL has its own set: pung / kong / joker / Charleston / card. There is no chow — the word simply doesn't apply in American mahjong.5. The cheat sheet
| Chinese | English | Japanese / other |
|---|---|---|
| 立直 | riichi | リーチ |
| 听牌 | tenpai (wait) | テンパイ |
| 向听 | shanten | シャンテン |
| 振听 | furiten | フリテン |
| 役 | yaku | 役（やく） |
| 番 | han / fan | 飜 / 番 |
| 符 | fu | 符（ふ） |
| 宝牌 | dora | ドラ |
| 碰 / 吃 / 杠 | pung / chow / kong | ポン / チー / カン |
| 百搭 | joker (US) | オールマイティ |
| 换牌 | Charleston (US) | — |
| 台 | tai (TW / SE Asia) | — |
| 花 | flower | 花牌 |
Practice checklist
- Learn five words first: riichi / tenpai / furiten / yaku / dora.
- Separate han (JP) from tai (TW/SE Asia).
- Remember American mahjong has no chow.
- Watch one English commentary game to train your ear.
- Pair this sheet with a Chinese glossary when studying.
FAQ
How do you say 'fan' in English?
In riichi, 'han'; in Chinese official/MCR, 'fan'; in Taiwan/SE Asia, 'tai'. They differ in meaning and scoring — don't mix them up.
What is furiten in English?
furiten — a riichi-specific state where you are waiting but cannot win.
How do you say 'pung' in American mahjong?
pung (three of a kind); kong (four). American mahjong has no chow.
Why do terms differ between countries?
Each region evolved its own mahjong and vocabulary. Aligning words first is the fastest route to playing.
World mahjong series
Mahjong WorldwideUS / Europe / Japan / SE Asia / Korea
American Mahjong152 tiles · annual card · no chow
European MahjongMCR (official) · OMS · competition
Japanese Riichiyaku · furiten · defence · scoring
Vietnamese & SE Asianmạt chược · flowers · 16-tile
Korean Hwatuhwatu, not mahjong
American Mahjong Cardreading · joker rules · memorising
Singapore & Malaysiaflowers + animal tiles · table-defined
Philippine 16-Tile16 tiles · tai/fan · close to Taiwanese
European OMSsimplified scoring · club play
Clubs & Tournamentsassociations · clubs · online
Learning Pathsystem → terms → fundamentals
American Mahjong Strategytracking · jokers · Charleston
Online Platformsriichi clients · MCR · American
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