This article is about the four-player tile-based game. For the tile-matching solitaire game, see Mahjong solitaire. For others uses, see Mahjong (disambiguation).
Mahjong
Mahjong players in Hangzhou in 2006
Genres
Mind sport
Tile-based game
Abstract strategy game
Players
3 or 4
Setup time
1–5 minutes
Playing time
Dependent on variation or rules
Chance
Moderate
Skills
Tactics, observation, memory, adaptive strategies
Mahjong
"Mahjong" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
麻將
Simplified Chinese
麻将
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
májiàng
Wade–Giles
ma2-chiang4
IPA
[mǎ.tɕjâŋ]
Wu
Romanization
mo ziang
Gan
Romanization
ma4-chiong4
Hakka
Romanization
ma jiong3
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
màah jeung
Jyutping
maa4 zoeng3
Original/Southern Name
Traditional Chinese
麻雀
Simplified Chinese
麻雀
Literal meaning
little sparrows
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin
má què
Hakka
Romanization
ma4-jiok3
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization
màh-jeuk
Jyutping
maa4-zoek3
IPA
[maː˩.tsœːk̚˧]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ
Moâ-chhiok
Eastern Min
Fuzhou BUC
Mà-chiók
Pu-Xian Min
Hinghwa BUC
Má-chio̤h
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese
mạt chược
Thai name
Thai
ไพ่นกกระจอก
RTGS
phai nok krachok
Korean name
Hangul
마작
Hanja
麻雀
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization
majak
McCune–Reischauer
majak
Japanese name
Kanji
麻雀
Kana
マージャン
Transcriptions
Romanization
mājan
Khmer name
Khmer
ម៉ាចុង
Mahjong or mah-jongg[1] (English pronunciation: /mɑːˈdʒɒŋ/mah-JONG) is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is played by four players (with some three-player variations found in parts of China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia). The game and its regional variants are widely played throughout East and Southeast Asia and have also become popular in Western countries. The game has also been adapted into a widespread online entertainment.[2][3][4][5] Similar to the Western card game rummy, mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and luck. To distinguish it from mahjong solitaire, it is sometimes referred to as mahjong rummy.
The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, although many regional variations may omit some tiles or add unique ones. In most variations, each player begins by receiving 13 tiles. In turn, players draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand using the 14th drawn tile to form four melds (or sets) and a pair (eye). A player can also win with a small class of special hands. While many variations of mahjong exist, most variations have some basic rules in common including how a piece is drawn and discarded, the use of suits (numbered tiles) and honors (winds and dragons), the basic kinds of melds allowed, how to deal the tiles and the order of play. Beyond these basic common rules, numerous regional variations exist which may have notably different criteria for legal melds and winning hands, radically different scoring systems and even elaborate extra rules. A group of players may introduce their own house rules which can notably change the feel of play.
^"Mah-jongg". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
^"Mahjong Around the World". World Series of Mahjong. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
^Vickroy, Donna. "Growing interest in ancient Chinese game". Daily Southtown.
^Glasser, AJ (20 July 2011). "Mad Respect for Mahjong on This Week's List of Fastest-Growing Games by DAU". Adweek.
^"WITH VIDEO: 'Mahjong!' Ancient game enjoys continued popularity". The Courier. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018.
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