Hong Kong mahjong is a four-player game played with 144 tiles, including 8 flowers and seasons. You try to be first to build a hand of four sets and a pair, for 14 tiles. A winning hand earns faan, a unit of score. Many tables require a minimum of 3 faan to win, though this varies. It is one of the most widely played styles, and families often have their own house rules.
What sets it apart
- Simple goal. Any four sets and a pair is the right shape. There is no card to study.
- Bonus tiles. Flowers and seasons sit outside your hand and can add to your score.
- A minimum to win. Your hand needs enough faan, so shape alone is not always enough.
- Fast play. Turns move quickly once everyone knows the tiles.
The tile set
| Group | Tiles | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Bamboo, Characters, Dots | Numbers 1 to 9, four of each | 108 |
| Winds | East, South, West, North, four of each | 16 |
| Dragons | Red, Green, White, four of each | 12 |
| Flowers | Plum, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, Bamboo | 4 |
| Seasons | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter | 4 |
Lessons
- Basic rulesSet up, take turns, claim discards, and win.
- Melds and winning handsChows, pungs, kongs, pairs, and special hands.
- Faan scoringCount a hand, with worked examples.
- Flowers and seasonsWhat to do when you draw one.
About house rules
Unlike American or Riichi play, Hong Kong mahjong has no single body that sets the rules for every table. Numbers in our lessons follow a common faan table, and we say so wherever they appear. Before you play, ask three questions:
- What is the minimum faan to win?
- Does anything count for having no flowers?
- How do you turn faan into points?
Practice
Our Tile Trainer has a Hong Kong mode with the matching names. Spot the Meld drills the sets, and the Scoring Quiz has hands you can work through step by step.