Mahjong

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.