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Mahjong tiles and matching rules.
Not sure what 發 means or whether two different Flowers match? This chart covers every tile in the set and the matching rules for each.
A Mahjong Solitaire set has 144 tiles: three suits (Dots, Bamboo and Characters, 1 to 9, four of each), four Winds, three Dragons, four Flowers and four Seasons. Suit tiles, Winds and Dragons match only an identical tile. Any Flower matches any Flower, and any Season matches any Season.
The 144-tile set at a glance
| Dots (circles) | 1 to 9, four of each: 36 tiles |
|---|---|
| Bamboo | 1 to 9, four of each: 36 tiles. The 1 of Bamboo shows a bird instead of a stick |
| Characters | 1 to 9, four of each: 36 tiles. A Chinese numeral above the character 萬 (wàn, ten thousand) |
| Winds | East 東, South 南, West 西, North 北, four of each: 16 tiles |
| Dragons | Red 中, Green 發 and White, four of each: 12 tiles |
| Flowers | Four tiles, one of each design |
| Seasons | Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, one of each: 4 tiles |
Matching rules
- Suit tiles match only the identical number in the same suit: a 7 of Dots matches a 7 of Dots, not a 7 of Bamboo.
- Winds match the same Wind: East with East.
- Dragons match the same Dragon: Red with Red.
- Flowers match any other Flower, even though each Flower looks different.
- Seasons match any other Season.
- Flowers never match Seasons.
How to read the tiles quickly
- Count the shapes on Dots and Bamboo: the number of circles or sticks is the tile number.
- Learn the numerals on Characters: 一 1, 二 2, 三 3, 四 4, 五 5, 六 6, 七 7, 八 8, 九 9.
- Winds are a single character with no number. Dragons are a single red or green character, or a blue frame for White.
- Flowers carry a red circle with their number in the corner of our tiles; Seasons carry a blue square.
- In Settings, turn on Corner labels to add a small label (such as 5●, 3|, 7C, E or R) to every tile.
The tile designs in Instant Mahjong Solitaire
Every face in Instant Mahjong Solitaire is drawn in code for the game. Our Flowers show a plum blossom, an orchid, a chrysanthemum and bamboo; our Seasons show a blossoming tree, a summer sun, a maple leaf and a snowflake. The Chinese characters are drawn from the open-source Noto Serif CJK typeface. The 144-tile Turtle uses the complete set; smaller layouts use a selection of tile kinds, always in matching pairs.
Frequently asked questions
How many tiles are in a Mahjong Solitaire set?
The full set has 144 tiles: 108 suit tiles, 16 Winds, 12 Dragons, 4 Flowers and 4 Seasons.
Do Flower tiles have to match exactly?
No. Any Flower matches any other Flower, and any Season matches any other Season. All other tiles need an identical twin.
Can a Flower match a Season?
No. Flowers only match Flowers and Seasons only match Seasons.
What does 萬 mean on the Character tiles?
It is wàn, meaning ten thousand (or myriad). The numeral above it gives the tile number.
What is the White Dragon?
One of the three Dragons. In many sets, including ours, it is shown as a blue frame rather than a character.
Sources
- Mahjong tiles — Wikipedia, the suits, honours and bonus tiles of a 144-tile set.
- Mahjong solitaire — Wikipedia, history and standard rules of the game.
- Noto CJK fonts — the open-source typeface our tile characters are drawn from.
Related reading: play Instant Mahjong Solitaire free · how to play Mahjong Solitaire · Mahjong Solitaire tips and strategies · Mahjong Solitaire layouts · play Mahjong Solitaire online free · free online puzzle games · all guides