Editing Mahjong tiles

{{Short description|Tiles used in mahjong game}}
{{for|the block in Unicode|Mahjong Tiles (Unicode block)}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2015}}
[[File:MJTiles_Fullset.png|right|thumb|300px|A set of standard Mahjong tiles]]
[[File:MJTiles_Fullset Malay.png|thumb|300px|A set of Malaysian Mahjong tiles]]

'''Mahjong tiles''' ({{cjkv|c=麻將牌 or 麻雀牌|p=májiàngpái|j=麻雀牌|cj=maa<sup>4</sup>zoek<sup>3</sup>paai<sup>2</sup>|r=mājanpai}}) are tiles of Chinese origin that are used to play [[mahjong]] as well as [[mahjong solitaire]] and other games.  Although they are most commonly tiles, they may refer to [[playing card]]s with similar contents as well.

== Development ==
[[File:28.779 SL1 s.jpg|thumb|[[George B. Glover|Glover]]'s set (early 1870s)]]
The earliest surviving mahjong sets date to the 1870s when the game was largely confined to [[Zhejiang]], [[Shanghai]], and [[Jiangsu]].<ref name=Before>Stanwick, Michael, 'Mahjong(g) Before Mahjong(g): Part 1'. In: [[The Playing-Card]], Vol. 32, No. 4, 2004, pp. 153–162.</ref> They already exhibited various traits found in modern sets. The core of the set is the 108 suited tiles which were inherited from [[Chinese playing cards#Money-suited cards|Chinese money-suited playing cards]]. The Wind honor tiles and the Four Seasons tiles were also found in the earliest sets. The honor tiles known as Arrows (Dragons in English) developed to their current form by 1890 concurrent with a new style of play called ''Zhōngfā'' (中發).<ref>Stanwick, Michael, 'Mahjong(g) Before Mahjong(g): Part 2'. In: ''The Playing-Card'', Vol. 32, No. 5, 2004, pp.&nbsp;206–215.</ref> Flower tiles, once known as Outer Flowers ({{zh|c=外花|p=wàihuā|j=ngoi<sup>6</sup>faa<sup>1</sup>}}), were not universally accepted until the 1920s. In contrast, many early sets contained [[Wild card (card games)|wild cards]] with specific powers known as Inner Flowers ({{zh|c=裏花|p=lǐhuā|j=loei<sup>5</sup>faa<sup>1</sup>}}) which disappeared from most of China but are still found in Vietnam and Thailand.<ref name=Flowers>{{cite journal|last1=Stanwick|first1=Michael|last2=Xu|first2=Hongbin|title=Flowers and Kings: An Hypothesis of their Function in Early Ma Que|journal=[[The Playing-Card]]|date=2008|volume=37|issue=1|pages=29–40|ref=Flowers}}</ref><ref name=Complete>Sloper, Tom. [http://www.sloperama.com/majexchange/tutorial.htm Is my set complete?] at sloperama.com. Retrieved 16 May 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=（七）中国国外に残る花牌麻雀 - 日本かるた文化館 |url=https://japanplayingcardmuseum.com/010-5-mahjong-flowertiles-asiancountries/ |website=Japan Playing Card Museum |access-date=2 September 2023 |language=ja}}</ref>

== Contents ==
===Full set===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|
!colspan=11         |Numbers
|-
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
!6
!7
!colspan=2|8
!colspan=2|9
|-
!rowspan=3|Suits
!Circles
|[[File:MJt1-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt2-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt3-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt4-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt5-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt6-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJt7-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJt8-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJt9-.svg|50px]]
|-
!Bamboo
|[[File:MJs1-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs2-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs3-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs4-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs5-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs6-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJs7-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJs8-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJs9-.svg|50px]]
|-
!Characters
|[[File:MJw1-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw2-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw3-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw4-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw5-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw6-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJw7-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJw8-.svg|50px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:MJw9-.svg|50px]]
|-
!colspan=2 rowspan=4|Honors
!colspan=4|Winds
!colspan=3|Dragons
!colspan=4|Bonus
|-
!East
!South
!West
!North
!Red
!Green
!White
!colspan=2|Seasons
!colspan=2|Flowers
|-
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJf1-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJf2-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJf3-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJf4-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJd1-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJd2-.svg|50px]]
|rowspan=2|[[File:MJd3-.svg|50px]]
|[[File:MJh1-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh2-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh5-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh6-.svg|25px]]
|-
|[[File:MJh3-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh4-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh7-.svg|25px]]
|[[File:MJh8-.svg|25px]]
|}

A set of Mahjong tiles will usually differ from place to place. It usually has at least 136 tiles (four copies of each of the [[#Suited tiles|Suit]] and [[#Honor tiles|Honor Tiles]]), most commonly 144, although sets originating from the United States or Southeast Asia will usually feature more tiles in the form of [[Mahjong#Bonus tiles|flowers]] or [[#Joker tiles|Jokers]]. Some sets also contain blank tiles which owners can use to replace damaged or missing tiles.

Mahjong tiles can be organized into several categories:

=== Suited tiles ===
''Suited tiles'' ({{cjkv|c=序數牌|p=xùshùpái|l=ordinal number tiles|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=數字牌|p=shùzìpái|cj=sou3zi6paai2|l=number tiles|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|j=数牌|r=shūpai/suupai|l=number tiles|labels=no}}) have a suit and a rank. There are three [[Chinese playing cards#Money-suited cards|money-based suits]] with ranks ranging from one to nine. There are four tiles of each rank and suit combination, thus there are 36 tiles in a suit, and 108 suited tiles in total.  To refer to a suited tile, the rank is named, followed by the suit. The ones and nines of each suit ({{cjkv|c=幺九|p=yāo jiǔ|cj=jiu1gau2|j=ヤオ九|r=yaochū|labels=no}}) are collectively referred to as the ''terminal tiles''. Suited tiles may be used to form [[Mahjong#Melds|melds]].

==== Circles ====
The ''circle (dot, coin, wheel, stone) suit'' ({{cjkv|c=筒子|p=tǒngzi|cj=tung<sup>4</sup>zi<sup>2</sup>|l=barrel|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=筒子|j=ピンズ|r=pinzu|l=[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: ''pinta''; "spot|labels=no}}) is represented by a series of circles.

[[Image:MJt1-.svg|50px|1 Circle]][[Image:MJt2-.svg|50px|2 Circle]][[Image:MJt3-.svg|50px|3 Circle]][[Image:MJt4-.svg|50px|4 Circle]][[Image:MJt5-.svg|50px|5 Circle]][[Image:MJt6-.svg|50px|6 Circle]][[Image:MJt7-.svg|50px|7 Circle]][[Image:MJt8-.svg|50px|8 Circle]][[Image:MJt9-.svg|50px|9 Circle]]

[[Image:Eiraku-Tsuho.jpg|150px|right|thumb|The circles represent copper coins like this.]]

The 1 Circle is generally a large circle of multiple colors, while the rest of the circle tiles consist of smaller circles, each circle being of one color.  The 2 Circle consists of a green and a blue circle, the 3 consisting of one green, one red, and one blue circle arranged diagonally (the order the circles appear in, as well as the orientation, differs between sets).  The 4 Circle has two blue circles and two green circles, arranged in a rectangle with circles of like color in opposite corners.  The 5 Circle is similar to the 4 Circle, with another circle (its color depending on the set) in the middle.  The 6 Circle consists of two green circles at the top and four red circles in the bottom (with a space between the green and red circles). The 7 Circle is similar to the 6 Circle, but has 3 green circles arranged diagonally from top-left to bottom-right.  The 8 Circle has eight blue circles arranged in a 2x4 rectangle.  The 9 Circle has three each of green, red, and blue circles, with each color occupying a row. There is some space between each row, and the middle row is always of the red circles (the blue and green, of course, depends on the orientation of the tile).

Because of the large size of the circle in the 1 Circle, it is commonly nicknamed ''da bing'' (大餅 pinyin ''dàbǐng'', literally: "big pancake").

From the monetary origin of this suit, the circles represent the copper coins known in English as "[[Cash (Chinese coin)|cash]]". (1銅=one copper coin).

==== Bamboo ====
[[Image:Chinesische-Käschschnüre.JPG|100px|right|thumb|[[String of cash coins (currency unit)|Strings of coins]]]]
The ''bamboo (stick, string, bam) suit'' ({{cjkv|c=索子|p=suǒzi|cj=sok<sup>3</sup>zi<sup>2</sup>|j=索子|r=sōzu|l=woven thread|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=條/条|p=tiáo|l=strip|labels=no}}), with the exception of the 1 Bamboo, which is commonly represented by a bird (like [[Image:MJs1-.svg|25px|1 Bamboo]], [[Image:MJs1b2-.svg|25px|1 Bamboo]] or [[Image:MJs1b1-.svg|25px|1 Bamboo]]), is represented by outlines of sticks.

[[Image:MJs1-.svg|50px|1 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs2-.svg|50px|2 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs3-.svg|50px|3 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs4-.svg|50px|4 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs5-.svg|50px|5 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs6-.svg|50px|6 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs7-.svg|50px|7 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs8-.svg|50px|8 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs9-.svg|50px|9 Bamboo]] or<br/>
[[Image:MJs1bird-.svg|50px|1 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs2b-.svg|50px|2 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs3b-.svg|50px|3 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs4b-.svg|50px|4 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs5b-.svg|50px|5 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs6b-.svg|50px|6 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs7b-.svg|50px|7 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs8b-.svg|50px|8 Bamboo]][[Image:MJs9b-.svg|50px|9 Bamboo]]

The 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 Bamboo are represented entirely out of green sticks only or blue and green sticks, while the middle stick in the 5 Bamboo, the top stick of the 7 Bamboo, and the sticks along the center column of the 9 Bamboo are red. Some sets may also have the sticks along the bottom row or center column of the 7 Bamboo in blue. The 8 Bamboo has its sticks forming an M-shape and its mirror image.

From the monetary origin of this suit, the sticks are actually rope strings (索) that tie 100 Chinese copper coins together by the square holes in the middle. (1索=100銅) The repeated bumps in the sticks depict the individual coins in the strings, but they were mistaken by [[Joseph Park Babcock]] as the knots on the bamboo plants, hence the English name of the suit. The 1 Bamboo, as it commonly depicts a bird, is often referred as ''the sparrow'' (麻雀 - ''má què''); in Japan it is most commonly a peacock. In early sets, there was no bird but a single bent string of cash capped with a red knot ([[Image:MJs1o-.svg|25px|1 Bamboo]]).<ref name="Before" /><ref>[https://www.themahjongtileset.co.uk/an-uncommon-ma-jiang-pattern-from-fujian/ Michael Stanwick: An Uncommon Má Jiàng Pattern from Fujian?] Figure 5 shows variations of the 1 Bamboo, we can see how its appearance changes from a single bent string of cash to a bird. In: [[The Playing-Card]], Vol. 46, No. 2, 2017.</ref>

==== Characters ====
[[File:OldvNewMJ3.jpg|thumb|Old tiles used the cursive character "万".]]
The ''character (myriad, number, crack) suit'' ({{cjkv|c=萬子/万子|p=wànzi|cj=maan<sup>6</sup>zi<sup>2</sup>|j=萬子|r=wanzu/manzu|l=myriad|labels=no}}) is represented by Chinese characters.

[[Image:MJw1-.svg|50px|1 Character]][[Image:MJw2-.svg|50px|2 Character]][[Image:MJw3-.svg|50px|3 Character]][[Image:MJw4-.svg|50px|4 Character]][[Image:MJw5-.svg|50px|5 Character]][[Image:MJw6-.svg|50px|6 Character]][[Image:MJw7-.svg|50px|7 Character]][[Image:MJw8-.svg|50px|8 Character]][[Image:MJw9-.svg|50px|9 Character]]

The rank of the tile is represented at the top, in blue, with [[Chinese numerals]], while the character below (萬 ''wàn'', meaning [[myriad]]) is in red. Older sets used the [[Cursive script (East Asia)|cursive character]] 万 when tiles were still hand-carved. Fujianese sets use 品 (''pǐn'', rank). Most sets use the character 伍 ([[Image:MJw5-.svg|25px|5 Character]]) for five instead of 五 ([[Image:MJw5v1-.svg|25px|5 Character]]).

From the monetary origin of this suit, the myriads (10,000) are actually 100 strings of coins described in the bamboo suit section above.  One myriad equals ten thousand coins or 100 strings of 100 coins. (1萬=100索×100銅)

==== Red tiles ====
''Red tiles'' ({{cjkv|j=赤牌|r=akapai|labels=no}}) are unique to the Japanese set. They appear as a red version of tiles from each suit and are not quadruplicated. They first appeared in the 1970s with the Red 5 Circle which were followed with red 5 tiles for the other suits.<ref>[http://www9.plala.or.jp/majan/mtk98.html 赤牌麻雀] at Mahjan talk (Japanese). Retrieved 20 May 2016.</ref> Red 3s and 7s later appeared and were followed by red 1s and 9s although they are much less commonly found in sets than red 5s.<ref>[http://www28.atwiki.jp/mjpai/pages/26.html], [http://www28.atwiki.jp/mjpai/pages/164.html], [http://www28.atwiki.jp/mjpai/pages/186.html], [http://www28.atwiki.jp/mjpai/pages/189.html] at Mahjong Tiles Wiki (Japanese). Retrieved 20 May 2016.</ref> There is also a rare red white dragon (白ポッチ, ''shiro pocchi'') which can act as a wild card if ''tsumo'' conditions are met.

[[Image:MJt1r-.svg|50px|Red 1 Circle]][[Image:MJs1rbird-.svg|50px|Red 1 Bamboo]][[Image:MJw1r-.svg|50px|Red 1 Character]][[Image:MJt3r-.svg|50px|Red 3 Circle]][[Image:MJs3r-.svg|50px|Red 3 Bamboo]][[Image:MJw3r-.svg|50px|Red 3 Character]][[Image:MJt5r-.svg|50px|Red 5 Circle]][[Image:MJs5r-.svg|50px|Red 5 Bamboo]][[Image:MJw5r-.svg|50px|Red 5 Character]][[Image:MJt7r-.svg|50px|Red 7 Circle]][[Image:MJs7r-.svg|50px|Red 7 Bamboo]][[Image:MJw7r-.svg|50px|Red 7 Character]][[Image:MJt9r-.svg|50px|Red 9 Circle]][[Image:MJs9r-.svg|50px|Red 9 Bamboo]][[Image:MJw9r-.svg|50px|Red 9 Character]][[Image:MJd3r-.svg|50px|Red White Dragon]]

[[File:KinPai5Manzu.jpg|thumb|40px|right|Gold 5 ''manzu'' from a Japanese Mahjong parlor]] These tiles are entirely optional. When inserted into play, one copy of its regular non-red counterpart is removed. They increase the score when melded. Japanese sets typically do not include the [[Four Gentlemen]] flower tiles to make room for the red tiles as flower tiles are rarely used in [[Japanese Mahjong]] anyway. Some mahjong parlours will have their own house tiles which may be red tiles for even ranks, even higher-scoring green tiles or gold tiles ({{cjkv|j=金牌|r=kinpai|labels=no}}), or colored wind tiles.

=== Honor tiles ===
''Honor tiles'' (字牌, pinyin: ''zìpái'', Japanese romaji: ''jihai'', meaning 'word tiles'; or  番子, [[jyutping]]: ''faan<sup>1</sup>zi<sup>2</sup>'', 'exponentials') have neither rank nor suit but like suited tiles they are also formed into melds. They are divided into two categories: four Wind tiles (風牌/风牌, pinyin: ''fēngpái'', [[jyutping]]: ''fung<sup>1</sup>paai<sup>2</sup>'', Japanese romaji: ''fompai'' or ''kazehai'') and three Dragon tiles (三元牌, pinyin: ''sānyuánpái'', [[jyutping]]: ''saam<sup>1</sup>jyun<sup>4</sup>paai<sup>2</sup>'', Japanese romaji: ''sangempai''), each of which is quadruplicated. Thus, there are 16 wind tiles and 12 Dragon tiles for 28 honor tiles.

==== Winds ====
The four types of ''Wind tiles'' are:

* East ({{cjkv|c=東/东|p=dōng|cj=dung<sup>1</sup>|j=東|r=ton|labels=no}}),
* South ({{cjkv|c=南|p=nán|cj=naam<sup>4</sup>|j=南|r=nan|labels=no}}),
* West ({{cjkv|c=西|p=xī|cj=sai<sup>1</sup>|j=西|r=shā|labels=no}}), and
* North ({{cjkv|c=北|p=běi|cj=bak<sup>1</sup>|j=北|r=pei/pē|labels=no}}).

Their Chinese characters are usually in blue, like <span style="color:blue;">東</span>, <span style="color:blue;">南</span>, <span style="color:blue;">西</span> and <span style="color:blue;">北</span>.

[[Image:MJf1-.svg|50px|East Wind]][[Image:MJf2-.svg|50px|South Wind]][[Image:MJf3-.svg|50px|West Wind]][[Image:MJf4-.svg|50px|North Wind]]

Each type of Wind tiles corresponds to a point along the [[compass]], written in blue traditional Chinese characters (even for sets where the Character tiles are written in simplified Chinese). Bonus points are scored if melds match the seat wind or prevailing wind or both. They are also known as the Four Joyous Tiles ({{cjkv|c=四喜牌|p=sìxǐpái|cj=sei<sup>3</sup>hei<sup>2</sup>paai<sup>1</sup>}}).

==== Dragons ====
The three types of ''Dragon tiles'' are:

[[Image:MJd3-.svg|50px|White Dragon]][[Image:MJd2-.svg|50px|Green Dragon]][[Image:MJd1-.svg|50px|Red Dragon]] or
[[Image:MJd3e-.svg|50px|White Dragon]][[Image:MJd2v1-.svg|50px|Green Dragon]][[Image:MJd1-.svg|50px|Red Dragon]] or
[[Image:MJd3b-.svg|50px|White Dragon]][[Image:MJd2v3-.svg|50px|Green Dragon]][[Image:MJd1v2-.svg|50px|Red Dragon]]
[[File:白ポッチ.JPG|thumb|135px|A red white dragon (白ポッチ, ''shiro pocchi'')]]
* White ({{cjkv|c=白板|p=báibǎn|cj=baak<sup>6</sup>baan<sup>2</sup>|l=white board|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=白|p=bái|cj=baak<sup>6</sup>|j=白|r=haku/shiro|labels=no}}) - a tile which can be without any markings like [[Image:MJd3e-.svg|25px|White Dragon]], although most modern sets employ tiles with a blue border (like [[Image:MJd3-.svg|25px|White Dragon]] or [[Image:MJd3b-.svg|25px|White Dragon]]) to distinguish them from replacement tiles. Anglophone sets may also have a black letter P in the center of the tile, denoting the first letter of the Wade-Giles romanization of 白 (''pai''). Japanese tiles of this kind have no mark on them, and are occasionally dubbed ''[[tofu]]'' in some Japanese mahjong clubs. As noted above, there is a Japanese red tile version ([[Image:MJd3r-.svg|25px|Red White Dragon]]).
* Green ({{cjkv|c=發財/发财|p=fācái|cj=faat<sup>3</sup>coi<sup>4</sup>|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=青發/青发|p=qīngfā|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=發/发|p=fā|cj=faat<sup>3</sup>|j=發/𤼵|r=hatsu|labels=no}}) - a tile with a green traditional Chinese character (<span style="color:green;">發</span>), even for sets where the Character tiles are written in simplified Chinese. Often the variant character U+24F35 𤼵 (癶 over 弓矢 instead of 弓殳) is used. It is a contraction of 發財/发财 (pinyin: ''fā cái'') which loosely means "to strike it rich"). Some sets, notably American, use a green dragon in place of the character or may also have a black letter F in a corner of the tile, denoting the first letter from its transliteration. This tile was absent in the earliest sets.<ref>Lo, Andrew, 'China's Passion for Pai: Playing Cards, Dominoes, and Mahjong'. In: Asian Games: The Art of Contest, Colin Mackenzie and Irving Finkel, eds. Asia Society. 2004. pp. 217–231. {{ISBN|0-87848-099-4}}</ref> Some tiles have the traditional Chinese character "鳳" ([[Image:MJd2v2-.svg|25px|Green Dragon]]) or a green dragon icon.
* Red ({{cjkv|c=紅中/红中|p=hóngzhōng|cj=hung<sup>4</sup>zung<sup>1</sup>|labels=no}}; also {{cjkv|c=中|p=zhōng|cj=zung<sup>1</sup>|j=中|r=chun|labels=no}}) - a tile with a red traditional Chinese character (<span style="color:red;">中</span>) meaning center or middle. Sets for English speakers may also have a black letter C in a corner of the tile, denoting the first letter of the [[Wade-Giles]] romanization of 中 (''chung''). One of the earliest sets did not include these tiles.<ref name="Before" /> Some tiles have the traditional Chinese character "龍" ([[Image:MJd1v1-.svg|25px|Red Dragon]]) or a red dragon icon.

The Chinese name for the Dragon tiles means "three fundamental tiles" (三元牌). They are also known as the arrow tiles (箭牌). The English name ("Dragons") was an invention by Babcock. In English, they are sometimes referred to as "cardinal tiles."<ref>{{Cite web |title=A GUIDE TO MAHJONG - Chinese / Official International Rules |url=https://mahjong-mil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/A_GUIDE_TO_MAHJONG.pdf |access-date=2025-03-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dragon Tiles |url=https://www.mahjongodyssey.com/tiles/dragontiles |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Mahjong Odyssey |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mahjong Time |url=https://www.mahjongtime.com/Mahjong-Game-Rules.html |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.mahjongtime.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How To Play Mahjong (Mah Jongg) - Rules & Guidelines |url=http://www.najapan.com/brown/2007/HowToPlayMahjongRulesGuidelines.html |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.najapan.com}}</ref> This term should not be confused with the winds which are labeled with the [[Cardinal direction|cardinal directions]], but are never referred to as "cardinal tiles."

They are like wind tiles except melding them will always score bonus points regardless of the prevailing or seat wind. These tiles were invented after the wind tiles beginning with the whites which were developed from replacement tiles, followed by the reds circa 1870, and finally the greens which entered the set by 1890.
[[Chinese characters]] occur in the design of the Characters, the Winds and the Dragons. [[Regular script]] (楷書) is usually used in the areas of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canton, China and Southeast Asia, while [[Semi-cursive script]] (行書) is usually used in Japan.

[[File:Kanji_var_mj.svg|650px|thumb|center|[[Chinese characters]] on Mahjong tiles. Regular script on top, semi-cursive script at the bottom.]]

=== Flower tiles ===
''Flower tiles'' ({{cjkv|c=花牌|p=huāpái|cj=faa<sup>1</sup>paai<sup>2</sup>|j=花牌|r=hanahai/fapai|labels=no}}) are not used in melds. When drawn, they are set aside and the player gets to draw again but from the dead wall. These tiles usually depict stylized representations of flowers in many colors (hence the name). Nevertheless, other non-floral themes also exist, which vary from set to set. In [[American Mahjong]], they are treated as honor tiles but from the 1930s to 1960 they were considered jokers.<ref>Sloper, Tom. [http://www.sloperama.com/mjfaq/mjfaq02b.htm Identifying a Mah-Jongg Variant] at sloperama.com. Retrieved 16 May 2016.</ref><ref>Sloper, Tom. [http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/column509.htm Weekly Mah-jongg Column #509] at sloperama.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.</ref> Some Japanese players treat them as higher scoring honors that cannot be used to form 'eyes' (pairs). Generally, however, they are not used in Japanese mahjong.<ref name=Whitney_1964>
{{Citation
 | first = Eleanor Noss | last = Whitney
 | author-link = Eleanor Noss Whitney
 | title = A Mah Jong Handbook
 | place = Tokyo
 | publisher = [[Tuttle Publishing]]
 | year = 1964
 | pages = 17, 63
 | isbn = 0-8048-3278-1
}}</ref>

==== Quartets ====
The average set, if it contains flower tiles, will have two quartets of flower tiles, differentiating the color and/or style of the labels. Each quartet contains four unique tiles, which are numbered from 1 to 4 or otherwise distinctly labelled (common Chinese sets will have one quartet with blue [[Arabic numerals]] and the other group having red [[Chinese numerals]]). Each number matches a seat (1=East, 2=South, 3=West, 4=North).  Winners can double their score if the number on their flowers matches their seat number. There are also bonuses from collecting an entire quartet and in some variations, immediately winning from collecting all the flowers. As they reward points for pure luck, many games do not include them or are considered optional.

The four tiles in the Four Seasons ({{cjkv|c=四季|p=sìjì|cj=sei<sup>3</sup>gwai<sup>3</sup>|v=bốn mùa|j=季節牌|r=kisetsuhai|labels=no}}) quartet are:

[[Image:MJh1-.svg|50px|Spring]][[Image:MJh2-.svg|50px|Summer]][[Image:MJh3-.svg|50px|Autumn]][[Image:MJh4-.svg|50px|Winter]] or [[Image:MJh1j-.svg|50px|Spring]][[Image:MJh2j-.svg|50px|Summer]][[Image:MJh3j-.svg|50px|Autumn]][[Image:MJh4j-.svg|50px|Winter]] or [[Image:MJh1v1-.svg|50px|Spring]][[Image:MJh2v1-.svg|50px|Summer]][[Image:MJh3v1-.svg|50px|Autumn]][[Image:MJh4v1-.svg|50px|Winter]]
# [[Spring (season)|Spring]] ({{cjkv|c=春|p=chūn|cj=ceon<sup>1</sup>|v=xuân|labels=no}})
# [[Summer]] ({{cjkv|c=夏|p=xià|cj=haa<sup>6</sup>|v=hạ|labels=no}})
# [[Autumn]] ({{cjkv|c=秋|p=qiū|cj=cau<sup>1</sup>|v=thu|labels=no}})
# [[Winter]] ({{cjkv|c=冬|p=dōng|cj=dung<sup>1</sup>|v=đông|labels=no}})

The representative patterns of the four seasons tiles are not fixed. The more common ones are "spring" with various spring flowers, such as [[Peony#Culture|peonies]], or multiple blooming flowers; "summer" with [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus]]; "autumn" with autumn fruits; and "winter" with [[Narcissus (plant)#Eastern cultures|daffodils]].

The four tiles in the [[Four Gentlemen]] ({{cjkv|c=四君子|p=sìjūnzi|cj=sei<sup>3</sup>gwan<sup>1</sup>zi<sup>2</sup>|v=Tứ Quân Tử|labels=no}}) quartet are:

[[Image:MJh5-.svg|50px|Plum]][[Image:MJh6-.svg|50px|Orchid]][[Image:MJh7-.svg|50px|Chrysanthemum]][[Image:MJh8-.svg|50px|Bamboo]] or [[Image:MJh5j-.svg|50px|Plum]][[Image:MJh6j-.svg|50px|Orchid]][[Image:MJh7j-.svg|50px|Chrysanthemum]][[Image:MJh8j-.svg|50px|Bamboo]] or [[Image:MJh5v1-.svg|50px|Plum]][[Image:MJh6v1-.svg|50px|Orchid]][[Image:MJh7v1-.svg|50px|Chrysanthemum]][[Image:MJh8v1-.svg|50px|Bamboo]]
# [[Prunus mume|Plum]] ({{cjkv|c=梅|p=méi|cj=mui<sup>4</sup>|v=mai|labels=no}})
# [[Orchidaceae|Orchid]] ({{cjkv|c=蘭|p=lán|cj=laan<sup>4</sup>|v=lan|labels=no}})
# [[Chrysanthemum]] ({{cjkv|c=菊|p=jú|cj=guk<sup>1</sup>|v=cúc|labels=no}})
# [[Bamboo]] ({{cjkv|c=竹|p=zhú|cj=zuk<sup>1</sup>|v=trúc |labels=no}})

[[File:Extra flower quartets.jpg|thumb|Four Arts on the top, Four Noble Professions on the bottom]]
Thai, Vietnamese, and Malaysian mahjong sets contain two more quartets of flower tiles in addition to the Four Seasons and Four Gentlemen.<ref>[http://museum.takeshobo.co.jp/houmotsu/world/asia/index.html Mahjong Museum] (Japanese)</ref><ref>Cheah, Vincet; Sloper, Tom. [http://www.sloperama.com/mahjongg/malaysian.htm Malaysian 3-Player Mah-Jongg] at sloperama. Retrieved 17 May 2016.</ref><ref>Gregg Swain: [http://www.mahjongtreasures.com/2014/06/16/hand-carved-tri-color-mahjong-tiles-some-flower-tile-interpretations-part-1/ Hand Carved Tri-color Mahjong Tiles: Some Flower Tile Interpretations Part 1]，[http://www.mahjongtreasures.com/2014/06/18/hand-carved-tri-color-mahjong-tiles-some-flower-tile-interpretations-part-2/ Hand Carved Tri-color Mahjong Tiles: Some Flower Tile Interpretations Part 2]，at Mahjong Treasures. Retrieved 5 May 2020.</ref> These are the usual subjects:

*[[Four arts|Four Arts]] ({{cjkv|c=四藝|p=sìyì|cj=sei<sup>3</sup>ngai<sup>6</sup>|v=Tứ Nghệ|labels=no}}):
[[File:MJh9-.svg|50px|Guqin]][[File:MJh10-.svg|50px|Go]][[File:MJh11v1-.svg|50px|Calligraphy]][[File:MJh12-.svg|50px|Painting]]
# [[Guqin]] ({{cjkv|c=琴|p=qín|labels=no}})
# [[Go (game)|Go]] ({{cjkv|c=棋|p=qí|labels=no}})
# [[Chinese calligraphy|Calligraphy]] ({{cjkv|c=書|p=shū|labels=no}})
# [[Chinese painting|Painting]] ({{cjkv|c=畫|p=huà|labels=no}})

*Four Noble Professions ({{cjkv|c=四業|p=sìyè|cj=sei<sup>3</sup>jip<sup>6</sup>|v=Tứ nghiệp|labels=no}}):
[[File:MJh13-.svg|50px|Fisher]][[File:MJh14v1-.svg|50px|Woodcutter]][[File:MJh15-.svg|50px|Farmer]][[File:MJh16-.svg|50px|Scholar]]
# [[Fisherman]] ({{cjkv|c=漁|p=yú|labels=no}}): a fishing pole behind a fishing basket
# [[Firewood|Woodcutter]] ({{cjkv|c=樵|p=qiáo|labels=no}}): a tied up [[Faggot (unit)|bundle of wood]]
# [[Farmer]] ({{cjkv|c=耕|p=gēng|labels=no}}): a rake behind a [[Asian conical hat|hat]]
# [[Scholar]] ({{cjkv|c=讀|p=dú|labels=no}}): a book or scroll

While some Vietnamese sets use the Four Arts and the Four Noble Professions, most of them use emperors ({{cjkv|c=皇|v=hoàng|p=huáng|cj=wong<sup>4</sup>|labels=no}}) and empresses ({{cjkv|c=后|v=hậu|p=hòu|cj=hau<sup>6</sup>|labels=no}}). They are not decorated with pictures but just the number and character (''e.g.'' Third Emperor 三皇, Fourth Empress 四后).

[[File:MJe1-.svg|50px|1st Emperor]][[File:MJe2-.svg|50px|2nd Emperor]][[File:MJe3-.svg|50px|3rd Emperor]][[File:MJe4-.svg|50px|4th Emperor]][[File:MJq1-.svg|50px|1st Empress]][[File:MJq2-.svg|50px|2nd Empress]][[File:MJq3-.svg|50px|3rd Empress]][[File:MJq4-.svg|50px|4th Empress]]

The earliest known Chinese sets contained twelve flowers but no Four Gentlemen tiles and the Four Seasons were unadorned. Sets with large numbers of flowers were once popular in Northern China to play the game of "Flower Mahjong" (花麻雀). They typically had 20 or more flowers with some described as having up to 44.<ref name="Flowers" />

American sets are based on an earlier Chinese set, before the Four Gentlemen became standardized. The "[[Sanxing (deities)|Three Stars]]" ({{cjkv|c=三星|p=sān xīng|labels=no}}) and "Nobility" are typically used in its place, with the usual tiles being:
{{CSS image crop|Image=American Mahjong flowers.jpg|bSize=240|cWidth=240|cHeight=100|oTop=260}}
# [[Fu (character)|Fortune]] ({{cjkv|c=福|p=fú|labels=no}}): a boat at the mercy of the sea
# [[Prosperity]] ({{cjkv|c=禄|p=lù||labels=no}}): a nicely dressed man next to a multi-story building with what appears to be oil fields
# [[Shou (character)|Longevity]] ({{cjkv|c=寿|p=shòu|labels=no}}): the [[Old Man of the South Pole]] holding a [[Peach of Immortality]]
# [[Nobility]] ({{cjkv|c=貴|p=guì|labels=no}}): what appears to be [[Trees in Chinese mythology and cultural symbology|a tree]]

==== Animal tiles ====
''Animal tiles'' ({{cjkv|c=動物牌/动物牌|p=dòngwùpái|cj=dung<sup>6</sup>mat<sup>6</sup>paai<sup>2</sup>|labels=no}}) are unnumbered flowers that automatically match the player's seat. These tiles are found in pairs with their subjects usually based on popular Chinese fables. Immediate payment may occur if both tiles in a pair or all the animals are collected. Singaporean sets contain two pairs of animal tiles while Thai and four-player Malaysian sets have four pairs. Some examples of tile pairs include:
[[File:Animal tiles.jpg|thumb|Various animal tiles (from top-left to bottom-right: dragon, flaming pearl, horse, rickshaw, monkey, fruit (potentially the [[Peaches of Immortality]]), Jiang Ziya, fish, [[Cranes in Chinese mythology|crane]], pig, second pig, turtle, turtle egg, bowl, chopsticks, tea pot, tea cups, bird, Caishen or [[Liu Haichan]], sycee, spider, spider web, [[Jin Chan]] (mythical three-legged toad), Liu Haichan's pot of gold, cupid, arrow through heart, flower, rabbit, cabbage (白菜 whose second syllable is a homonym for 财 "cái" which means "wealth, money."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chinasage.info/symbols/flowers-and-fruit.htm|title=The symbolism of flowers and fruit in Chinese art: 花朵 Huā duǒ flowers}}</ref>), dog, second dog, ox, plough, chick, chicken egg, second flower)]]
[[File:MJat1-.svg|50px|Cat]][[File:MJat2-.svg|50px|Mouse]][[File:MJat3-.svg|50px|Cockerel]][[File:MJat4-.svg|50px|Centipede]]

* Cat ({{cjkv|c=貓/猫|p=māo|cj=maau<sup>1</sup>|labels=no}}) & Mouse ({{cjkv|c=老鼠|p=láoshǔ|cj=lou<sup>5</sup>syu<sup>2</sup>|labels=no}})
* Rooster ({{cjkv|c=公雞/公鸡|p=gōngjī|cj=gung<sup>1</sup>gai<sup>1</sup>|labels=no}}) & Centipede ({{cjkv|c=蜈蚣|p=wúgōng|cj=ng<sup>4</sup>gung<sup>1</sup>|labels=no}})
* [[Caishen]] (the god of wealth in Chinese folk religion and Taoism) & [[Sycee]] (an ancient, custom-made gold or silver ingot)
* [[Jiang Ziya]] (an 11th-century BC military strategist who, according to legend, fished without bait, believing the fish would come on their own) & Fish
* [[Liu Haichan]] (a legendary Taoist immortal) & [[Jin Chan]] (a mythical three-legged toad that attracts wealth)
* [[Chinese dragon|Dragon]] & [[Eight Treasures|Flaming pearl]] (a legendary treasure said to grant wishes)
* [[Hou Yi]] (an archer) & [[Three-legged crow]] with an arrow through it. Some modern sets as seen in the image above use cupid & heart to be more kid-friendly.

Three-player Malaysian sets have two pairs of animals accompanied with a quartet of identical animal tiles decorated with a face, usually that of a clown. These are known as heads (人头), faces (人臉), clowns (小丑) or snowmen (雪人).  Sometimes, these four heads will be replaced with a pair of male heads (male clowns, male faces) and a pair of female heads (female clowns, female faces).

[[File:MJcl-.svg|50px|Clown]] or [[File:MJcl1-.svg|50px|Male clown]][[File:MJcl2-.svg|50px|Female clown]]

=== Joker tiles ===
[[File:Joker tiles.jpg|thumb|Various joker tiles]]
''[[Joker (playing card)|Joker]] tiles'' (百搭牌, pinyin ''bǎidāpái'') can be used to replace any suited or honor tile in putting together a hand subject to local restrictions. Four jokers are sometimes used in certain variants of Southeast Asian and Chinese mahjong, including Shanghainese mahjong. American mahjong uses eight jokers.

==== General-purpose ====
All-purpose jokers may have these inscriptions: 百搭 (''bǎidā'', 'hundred uses'), 聽用 (''tīngyòng'', 'many uses'), 飛 (''fēi'', 'flying'), or simply "Joker" in American sets.

[[File:MJj1-.svg|50px|hundred uses]] or [[File:MJj13-.svg|50px|many uses]] or [[File:MJj12-.svg|50px|flying]] or [[File:MJj1v1-.svg|50px|Joker]]

==== Suit-restricted ====
Vietnamese and Thai mahjong are related to extinct Chinese variants which used specialized jokers such as "King Mahjong" (王麻雀).<ref name="Flowers" /> Vietnamese mahjong sets commonly contain eight unique jokers:
*[[Blue–green distinction in language#Vietnamese|Blue/green]] jokers (''khung xanh''):
**Circle joker (筒, ''thùng'')<br>[[File:MJj2-.svg|50px|Circle joker]]
**Bamboo joker (索, ''soọc'')<br>[[File:MJj3-.svg|50px|Bamboo joker]]
**Character joker (萬, ''màn'')<br>[[File:MJj4-.svg|50px|Character joker]]
**Universal joker (縂, ''tổng'') : In King Mahjong it is a Suit and Honor joker, in Vietnamese mahjong it can also be used like the flower joker. Hong Kongers may use the 皇 character but this is not found in Vietnam because a flower quartet also uses it (see above).<br>[[File:MJj7v1-.svg|50px|Universal joker]] or [[File:MJj6-.svg|50px|Universal joker]]
*Red jokers (''khung đỏ''):
**Suit joker (合, ''hợp'')<br>[[File:MJj11-.svg|50px|Suit joker]]
**Dragon joker (元, ''nguyên'')<br>[[File:MJj9-.svg|50px|Dragon joker]]
**Wind joker (喜, ''hỷ'')<br>[[File:MJj10-.svg|50px|Wind joker]]
**Flower joker (花, ''hoa'') : Like an animal tile but scores two doubles; it replaced the King Mahjong joker that functioned as a second Suit and Honor joker (陞王).<br>[[File:MJj8-.svg|50px|Flower joker]]
***Honor joker (番 or 字 or 元喜, ''nhị khẩu'') : A newer Vietnamese tile, it is an alternative to the dragon or wind joker. In Hong Kong, it is an alternative to the flower joker.<br>[[File:MJj5-.svg|50px|Honor joker]]

The first four jokers have a long lineage. They are found in the earliest sets and were inspired by the suit-restricted jokers in older Chinese card games. After 1975, modern Vietnamese sets triplicated or quadruplicated all eight jokers but each copy will have a different frame (rectangle, circle, lozenge, and hexagon) which allows them to be melded with each other. This means a total of 32 jokers, 36 if the alternate honor jokers are also included.

==== Rank-restricted ====
[[File:Hong Kong mahjong jokers.jpg|thumb|Assorted joker tiles from Hong Kong: 么, 兵, 卒, 仕, 合, 喜, 元, 將]]
In Hong Kong, Vietnamese style sets may also contain rank-restricted jokers, either as alternatives to the flower joker, or in addition to the usual eight:
*Terminal joker (么, jyutping: ''jiu<sup>1</sup>'', '[[ace]]') : Replaces one or nine of any suit<br>[[File:MJj21v1-.svg|50px|Terminal joker]]
*147 joker (仕, ''si<sup>6</sup>'') : Replaces one, four, or seven of any suit<br>[[File:MJj19-.svg|50px|147 joker]]
*258 joker (將, ''zoeng<sup>3</sup>'') : Replaces two, five, or eight of any suit<br>[[File:MJj20-.svg|50px|258 joker]]
*369 joker (兵, ''bing<sup>1</sup>'' or 卒, ''zeot<sup>1</sup>'') : Replaces three, six, or nine of any suit<br>[[File:MJj17-.svg|50px|369 joker]] or [[File:MJj18-.svg|50px|]]

The Chinese characters from the latter three comes from [[Xiangqi]] pieces. These sets may have suit, dragon, wind, and rank-restricted jokers adorned with multiple characters representing the tiles they can replace, instead of a single Chinese character.

== Comparison ==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Mahjong Variations
! Variation !! [[Hong Kong Mahjong scoring rules|Hong Kong]] !! Sichuan!! [[Japanese Mahjong|Japanese]] !! [[Three player mahjong|Japanese 3 Player]]!! [[Three player mahjong|Korean 3 Player]] !! Singapore !! Malaysian 4 Player !! Malaysian 3 Player !! Vietnam !! [[Scoring in Mahjong#American scoring|American]]
|-
| Dots || 9 types
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
|-
| Bamboo || 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 2 types<ref group="a" name=":0">Only 1 bamboo and 9 bamboo are used.</ref> × 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| {{n/a}} || 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
|-
| Characters || 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 2 types<ref group="a">Only 1 character and 9 character are used.</ref> × 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| {{n/a}} || 9 types 
× 4 tiles
| 9 types 
× 4 tiles
|-
| Winds || 4 types 
× 4 tiles
| {{n/a}}|| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles
| 3 types<ref group="a">Only East, South and West are used.</ref> × 4 tiles
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 4 types 
× 4 tiles 
|-
| Dragons || 3 types 
× 4 tiles
| {{n/a}}|| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
| 3 types 
× 4 tiles 
|-
| Four Flowers || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
|-
| Four Seasons || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}<ref group="a">Do not use usually.</ref> || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
| 4 types 
× 1 tile
|-
| Four Arts || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} 
|-
| Four Professions || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} 
|-
| Four Emperors || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile 
| {{n/a}} 
|-
| Four Empresses || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile 
| {{n/a}} 
|-
| Normal Animal tiles || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 4 types 
× 1 tile 
| 4 types 
× 1 tile 
| 4 types 
× 1 tile 
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} 
|-
| Faces tiles || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 2 types 
× 2 tiles<ref group="a" name="face-also">Also 1 type × 4 tiles can be used.</ref> 
| 2 types 
× 2 tiles<ref group="a" name="face-also" /> 
| 2 types 
× 2 tiles<ref group="a" name="face-also" /> 
| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} 
|-
| Joker tiles || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}|| {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || 1 type 
× 4 tiles <ref group="a">Do not use sometimes.</ref>
| 1 type 
× 4 tiles
| 1 type 
× 4 tiles
| 1 type 
× 8 tiles 
| 1 type 
× 8 tiles 
|-
| Total || 144 || 108|| 136 || 108 || 108 || 156 || 164 || 84 || 160 || 152 
|}

===Footnotes===
{{Reflist|group=a}}

=== Regional design ===
Designs of mahjong tiles are different between regions. Here are some examples.
{{Gallery
|title=Styles from different regions
|width=280
|height=210
|align=center
|File:Mahjong eg HK.jpg|Hong Kong style. A coloured sparrow is drawn on the one bamboo. Only the numbers marked on the flower tiles. The Chinese characters are in regular script.
|File:Mahjong eg Canton.jpg|Canton style, similar to the Hong Kong tiles.
|File:Mahjong eg Canton carving.jpg|Hand carving tiles in Canton, the bird of one bamboo reflecting the carver's skill.
|File:Mahjong eg Macau.jpg|Macau style, similar to the Hong Kong tiles but the bird of one bamboo is different. Joker tiles are present. Both numbers and Chinese characters are marked on the flower tiles. 
|File:Mahjong eg Ningbo.jpg|Ningbo style, patterns and colours are similar to the Canton tiles.
|File:Mahjong eg TW.jpg|Taiwan style. The lines of the one bamboo are simpler, black paint is used instead of blue, and the Chinese characters are angular.
|File:Mahjong eg Chongqing.jpg|Chongqing style, made for the 3rd [[World Mahjong Championship]] in 2012. The colours are brighter, Character "五" (not "伍") is used for the 5 Character.
|File:Mahjong eg JP.jpg|Japan style. Peacock is drawn on the one bamboo. Only 4 flower tiles. Red five tiles and dora white dragon are present. The Chinese characters are in Kansai script. Colours are darker than Canton tiles.
|File:Mahjong eg JP flower1.jpg|Japan style with 8 flower tiles, which can be used for the rules in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The peacock on the one bamboo is more colourful. Colours on tiles are brighter than the left one.
|File:Mahjong eg JP A.jpg|Another Japan style with a different peacock pattern on the one bamboo. 4 season tiles and red five tiles are present.
|File:Mahjong eg Yakuman kame.jpg|Another Japan style, no different when we turn the bamboos upside down. There is a blind spot on the red five tiles. The dora white dragon is designed as Kyūshū style. Made by Nintendo, the 1 circles features a subtle turtle design, and the red 5 circles a crosshair design. [[:File:Mahjong eg Yakuman kame flower.jpg|8 flower tiles version]] is present.
|File:Mahjong eg JP Kantou.jpg|Japan style which the Chinese characters are in Kantō script. Red five tiles are present. The dora white dragon is designed as Kyūshū style.
|File:Mahjong eg Euro.jpg|Europe style. Arabic numbers, letters or english words are marked for western players. Joker tiles are present.
|File:Mahjong eg USA.jpg|America style. Numbers or letters are marked in a different position than Europe style. Joker tiles are present. "Plum blossom, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, Bamboo" are replaced by "福 Fortune; 禄 Prosperity, 寿 Longevity, 貴 Nobility".
|File:Mahjong eg USA A.jpg|Another America style. Dragon icons are used to replace Chinese characters in the red dragon and green dragon.
}}

== Construction ==
[[Image:OldvNewMJ1.jpg|thumb|right|Plastic tiles in the middle; tiles using bone and bamboo on the left and right sides]]Traditionally, Mahjong tiles were made of [[bone]], often backed with [[bamboo]].  Bone tiles are still available but most modern sets are constructed from various plastics such as [[bakelite]], [[celluloid]], [[nylon]] and [[Polyethylene terephthalate|PET]] (often, [[PET bottle recycling|recycled PET]]).<ref name="taiyo-RPET">{{cite web |title=Manufacturing high quality material using recycle materials (PET bottles) |url=http://www.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/en/business/resin-compound/#r_pet |website=Taiyo Chemicals}}</ref>  There are a small number of sets that have been made with [[ivory]] or [[jade]], but these are exceedingly rare: most sets sold as ivory are in fact made from bone. Regardless of the material used to construct the tiles, the symbols on them are almost always engraved or pressed into the material. Some expert players can determine the face value of their tiles without actually looking at them by feeling these engravings with their fingers.

There are generally two size categories available, the larger mainland-China size and the smaller Taiwanese/Japanese/American size. However, within the former category (Mainland Chinese), 4 sizes have been roughly standardized:

*'''Size 8''': {{cvt|39|×|30|×|23|mm|in|frac=16}}
*'''Size 7.5''': {{cvt|38|×|28|×|22|mm|in|frac=16}}
*'''Size 7''': {{cvt|36|×|26|×|21|mm|in|frac=16}}
*'''Size 6''': {{cvt|34|×|25|×|19|mm|in|frac=16}}

The length to thickness ratio in all of these must be above 1:1.5, so that the tiles can steadily stand upright, since Chinese players use no racks to support their tiles in hand during play.

The sizes within the second category (Taiwanese/Japanese/American tiles) have lengths that vary roughly between {{cvt|25|and(-)|30|mm|in|frac=16}}. However, the Japanese tiles set themselves apart within this class by virtue of their thickness, which allows them to stand upright—despite their diminutive overall size. This enables Japanese mahjong players also to dispense with the use of racks (these are pervasive in the American game, in combination with slimmer tiles).

== Unicode ==
{{main|Mahjong Tiles (Unicode block)}}

Mahjong tiles were added to the [[Unicode]] Standard in April, 2008 with the release of version 5.1.

The Unicode block for mahjong tiles is U+1F000&ndash;U+1F02B:

{{Unicode chart Mahjong Tiles}}
The Red Dragon tile also exists as in a non-emoji form as 🀄︎.

==See also==
*[[Mahjong mat]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Mahjong tiles}}

==External links==
* [https://www.themahjongtileset.co.uk/ The Mahjong Tile Set]

[[Category:Mahjong]]
[[Category:Game equipment]]
[[Category:Board game pieces]]