The bamboo suit has nine tiles, numbered 1 to 9, with four copies of each. American players call them Bams, Hong Kong players call them Bamboo, and Riichi players call them souzu. You read each tile by counting the stalks. The exception is the One, which usually shows a bird instead. Our set shows a sparrow. Art varies from set to set, but the stalk counts stay the same.
- One Bam American: 1 Bam
Hong Kong: 1 Bamboo
Riichi: 1-sou - Two Bam American: 2 Bam
Hong Kong: 2 Bamboo
Riichi: 2-sou - Three Bam American: 3 Bam
Hong Kong: 3 Bamboo
Riichi: 3-sou - Four Bam American: 4 Bam
Hong Kong: 4 Bamboo
Riichi: 4-sou - Five Bam American: 5 Bam
Hong Kong: 5 Bamboo
Riichi: 5-sou - Six Bam American: 6 Bam
Hong Kong: 6 Bamboo
Riichi: 6-sou - Seven Bam American: 7 Bam
Hong Kong: 7 Bamboo
Riichi: 7-sou - Eight Bam American: 8 Bam
Hong Kong: 8 Bamboo
Riichi: 8-sou - Nine Bam American: 9 Bam
Hong Kong: 9 Bamboo
Riichi: 9-sou
How to read them
Count the stalks. The Two has two, the Three has three, and so on. On some tiles, the stalks use more than one color. That does not change the number.
Why the One shows a bird
Many sets show a bird on this tile. A common explanation ties it to one of the game’s old names, which means sparrows. Read about the name. Designs range from sparrows to peacocks, so it can catch you out on a new set. If you see a bird, it is almost certainly the One Bam.
How the suit works in each style
- American: Bams appear in hands on the card. Their matching dragon is the Green Dragon.
- Hong Kong: Bamboo tiles form chows and pungs.
- Riichi: Souzu form runs and sets. Some sets make one Five red.
- Mahjong Solitaire: Each tile matches only an identical tile.