Taiwanese 16-Tile Mahjong rules and scoring
The content below captures the ruleset and scoring this game runs on, which reflect how Taiwanese 16-Tile Mahjong is played worldwide.
The basics
The 16-tile game
Taiwanese Mahjong is played with 16 tiles. A winning hand needs five sets and one pair, and several special hands are also possible. This allows for more tile combinations and decisions than other Mahjong types, making for an exciting game!
Read the ruleset in order, or use the search and topic filter above to find a single rule.
Four players sit at the table at East, South, West and North seats. East is the dealer.
Each hand also has a Wind that cycles across East, South, West, North.
A round consists of multiple hands. A game can consist of multiple rounds.
There are 144 tiles:
Three Suits
Circles, Characters, and Bamboo. Each has four copies of #1-9.
Four Winds
East, South, West, North. Four copies of each.
Three Dragons
Red, White, Green. Four copies of each.
Eight Flowers
Blue #1-4, Red #1-4.
Winds and Dragons are known as Honours.
Each player holds 16 tiles. Whoever’s turn it is briefly holds a 17th.
The objective is to form a winning hand consisting of five sets and one pair, or a special hand.
Points are earned or deducted from each player based on their hand score and special points awarded during the hand. These add up cumulatively across hands. To win a hand, a player must achieve a minimum hand score.
If you learned the game elsewhere
Taiwanese Mahjong is the 16-tile game. Some guides use different names for the same concepts:
What the sets look like
Red 1 to 4: Pure Bouquet
Blue 1 to 4: Pure Bouquet
1, 2, 3, 4 across both colours: Mixed Bouquet
Winds: East, South, West, North
Dragons: Red, Green, White
Before the game starts
Every game opens with a ceremony that decides where each player sits and where the wall is broken. All counting, draws and dealing are counter-clockwise around the table.
Finding the East seat
Whoever joins last rolls three dice and starts counting from themselves. Wherever the number lands is marked as the East seat. The other seats are marked counterclockwise from East: South, West, North.
Finding each player’s seat
The player in the East seat rolls and starts counting from themselves. The player the number lands on draws first from a stack of the four Wind tiles, and then the remaining players draw from that stack. Each person moves to the seat representing the Wind they drew. The person in East seat is the dealer.
Forming the wall
The 144 tiles are then built into a wall with four sides. Each side is 18 tiles long and two tiles high.
Breaking the wall
The dealer rolls and counts starting from themselves.
The player the number lands on breaks the wall in front of them by counting the number on the dice (starting from the right end of the wall in front of them), and breaking the wall at that point. The stack the count lands on and the stacks to its right (16 tiles) become the “Flower wall”, which is used only for Flower and Gong replacements, or for ordinary draws once the main wall runs out.
If the dealer’s roll is a triple, the other three players pay the dealer straight away: 5 for a triple of 2, 3, 4 or 5, and 10 for a triple of 1 or 6.
Dealing
Starting from the stack to the left of the break, each player is dealt four tiles until 16 tiles have been dealt. The dealer takes a 17th.
Flowers
Any Flower dealt is exposed straight away by the player who receives it and is replaced from the Flower wall, beginning with the dealer and going around until all players have replaced their Flowers.
Taking a turn
On each player’s turn they draw one tile from the main wall and then discard one. Before discarding a player may declare a win from their own draw, declare a concealed Gong, or add a fourth tile to a Pong they have already exposed to make an exposed Gong.
If a player uses a tile for a Gong, they draw a replacement tile from the Flower wall and then discard as usual.
Once the main wall is used up, players draw from the Flower wall.
Claiming a discarded tile
When someone discards a tile, other players may claim it if they can declare any of the following:
Mahjong
The tile completes a winning hand. Any player can claim it, and it takes priority over everything else.
Pong or Gong
A player holds two or three of the remaining tiles. Any player can claim.
Sheung
The tile completes a sequence of numbers. Only the player to the discarder’s right can claim it.
If more than one player claims, the order of priority is Mahjong, then Pong or Gong, then Sheung.
More than one player can win on the same discarded tile.
If a player adds a fourth tile to an exposed Pong, any other player who can win on that tile can take it. This is called robbing a Gong.
Passing on a tile
If a player passes on a tile they could have claimed, they cannot claim that same tile from anyone’s discard until their own turn has come around again.
This includes a winning tile.
Flowers
Flowers are exposed as soon as they are picked up, and are replaced with a tile from the Flower wall. If the replacement is itself a Flower, that one is exposed and replaced too.
The Flower numbers match the seats: 1 is East, 2 is South, 3 is West, 4 is North.
Collecting seven or eight Flowers wins the hand, and Mahjong must be declared only after the replacement tile has been drawn. This “instant Flower win” scores only these points and no other points are added to the hand score.
Chasing
If all four copies of the same tile are discarded before the first discarder’s turn comes round again, whoever discarded the first copy pays every other player 5 points for an Honour tile, 10 for a Suit tile.
West Wind is the exception. A player about to discard the fourth West Wind shows the tile to everyone, returns the tile to their hand and discards something else. No chasing points are paid for West Wind.
Closing a hand
Closing can only be declared on a player’s own turn, after they have drawn a tile from the Wall or a discard, and before they discard one of their own tiles. It cannot be undone.
From that point the player’s concealed tiles are hidden and frozen. The player cannot look at them anymore, and must discard each tile they draw, unless it is the winning tile. A closed hand is worth 5 points if it wins.
Closing is not allowed with Nico Nico or 16 Orphans hands. Closing and then declaring one of those is a False Mahjong.
Winning a hand
A “self-draw” win is when the winner selects their winning tile from the wall. A “discard win” is when the winner selects it from the discards.
The hand score is what the winning hand is worth (see “Scoring”). Based on the hand score, the following payments are made in the form of points:
Win from self-draw
Each of the other three pays the full hand score to the winner, and the dealer pays 1 extra point.
Win on a discarded tile
Only the player who discarded it pays the hand score to the winner.
Win by robbing a Gong
The player who declared the Gong pays the hand score to the winner.
More than one winner on a discard
The discarder pays each winner separately based on their hand score.
The minimum score for a winning hand depends on the Wind of the round: 20 for East, 22 for South, 24 for West, 26 for North.
Declaring a win that falls below the minimum is a False Mahjong. The player who declared it pays 25 points to each of the other three and the hand ends.
Points exchanged during play — for Flower bouquets, concealed Gongs, dealer’s triple while breaking the wall, chasing, False Mahjong — move points between players but are not part of a winning hand’s score. Dealer streak points (explained below) do count.
All points received and subtracted contribute towards players’ cumulative points, which are added up across all hands of the game.
How the dealer, seat Wind and round Wind change
The deal moves one seat counter-clockwise each hand, unless the dealer wins alone.
A “dealer streak” is when the dealer wins alone on consecutive hands. The dealer gets 3 bonus points on their second win and 5 on their third win.
The deal passes after the dealer wins three times in a row, if the hand is drawn, or if the dealer wins along with another player.
If a player claims a False Mahjong, the dealer and dealer streak remain unchanged.
Seat Winds are read from whoever is currently dealer, so they shift as the deal moves. The round Wind does not: It advances only when the deal has been all the way round the table, so every round runs at least four hands.
When nobody wins
The hand is a draw when both the main wall and Flower wall are used up.
On a drawn hand every player pays 5 points onto the table. That pool is collected by the next player to win through self-draw, and it builds up if hands are drawn one after another.
Scoring
Fundamental scoring elements (points for specific sets are in sections below)
Mahjong
5
Win after Closing
5
Good Eyes: Pair is 2, 5, or 8 of any Suit
2
Calling by pairs: Win depends on either of two pairs becoming a Pong — NOT awardable with all-Pong hand
2
True single wait: Only one particular tile can win, no alternatives
2
False single wait: Three or more different tiles could have completed the hand
2
Dealer wins
1
Dealer discarded the winning tile
1
Win by self-draw
1
Fully concealed hand (Flowers and exposed Gongs allowed), won with a discarded tile or by robbing a Gong
5
Fully concealed hand (Flowers and exposed Gongs allowed), self-draw win
10
Winning tile from the Flower wall. Not awarded in a Seabed hand (when the winning tile is the very last wall tile).
5
Last Man Standing, discard win: Fully exposed hand with only one tile concealed to form a pair. No Closing allowed. Open Gong allowed
15
Last Man Standing, self-draw win: Fully exposed hand with only one tile concealed to form a pair. No Closing allowed. Open Gong allowed
10
Seabed hand: Winning tile is the very last tile from the wall, including the Flower wall. No additional points are awarded for winning from the Flower wall.
20
Win within seven discards
50
Heavenly hand: Dealer's dealt hand is complete before their first discard
100
Earthly hand: A non-dealer wins on the dealer's very first discard
90
Instant payments during play (paid immediately, by all 3 other players unless stated)
While breaking the wall, dealer rolls triples of #2–5: 5. Triples of 1 or 6: 10
5 / 10
Mixed Bouquet: 1,2,3,4 of Flowers, mixed colours
5
Pure Bouquet: 1,2,3,4 of Flowers, same colour. A player can be paid for both Mixed and Pure Bouquets.
10
Concealed Gong declared (add +2 to hand score if the holder wins)
5
Chasing: Fourth copy of a tile discarded within one go-around. First discarder pays.
Honour 5 / Suit 10 to every other player
False Mahjong: Complete hand that scores below the round minimum. Caller pays, hand ends and dealer stays the same.
25 to every other player
Drawn hand: The pool is collected by the next self-drawn winner and builds up across consecutive drawn hands
5 paid by every player
Flowers
Each Flower tile
1 each
Flower matching the player's seat number
+1
No Flowers
1
No Flowers AND no Winds/Dragons — replaces both the 1 point for no Flowers and the 1 point for no Winds and no Dragons (5 points in total, not 7)
5
Seven Flowers = instant win, after its replacement is drawn; no other hand score. East/South/West/North minimum score awarded.
20 / 22 / 24 / 26
Eight Flowers = instant self-draw win, after both replacements are drawn; no other hand points
40
Winds and Dragons
Each Pong/Gong of Winds
1
Pong/Gong of the player's seat Wind
+1
Pong/Gong of the round Wind
+1
Little Three Winds: Two Wind Pongs + Wind pair
15
Big Three Winds: Three Wind Pongs
30
Little Four Winds: Three Wind Pongs + Wind pair
50
Big Four Winds: Four Wind Pongs
60
Each Pong/Gong of Dragons
2
Little Dragons: Two Dragon Pongs + Dragon pair
20
Big Dragons: Three Dragon Pongs
40
No Winds or Dragons (not added when the hand earns points for No Terminals, no Honours)
1
Pongs
Concealed Pongs, all from self-draw (open Gongs count as concealed Pongs; concealed Gongs count too): Two / three / four Pongs
5 / 15 / 30
Five concealed Pongs, with at least one open Gong, or won on a discard that completes the pair
80
Five concealed Pongs, no open Gongs, winning tile self-drawn
100
Sequential Pongs, same Suit (e.g., 111 + 222): Two / three / four Pongs. Concealed Pong points are added on top
5 / 15 / 30
Five sequential Pongs + any pair
60
Five sequential Pongs + sequential pair (e.g., 111…555 + 66)
80
Sister Pongs: Same number, different Suits: Two / three Pongs. Concealed Pong points are added on top
5 / 15
Four tiles in two / three / four ways: All four copies of one tile appear in the winning hand, spread across two / three / four distinct sets or the pair. Examples: 3-Circle used in a Pong and in 2-3-4 Sheung of Circle = two ways; 6-Character used in 4-5-6, 5-6-7, 6-7-8 and another 4-5-6 = four ways
5 / 15 / 20
Gongs
Each open Gong (counts as a concealed Pong)
1
Win by robbing a Gong: If a player adds a fourth tile to an exposed Pong, any player who can win with that tile can take it. Adds 10 to the winner's hand score; the player who declared the Gong pays. A fully concealed hand also scores the 5 for a concealed hand won through discard.
10
Win by self-draw after a Gong replacement: Player makes a Gong, draws a replacement tile and makes another Gong, draws a replacement again and wins. (One Gong and its replacement is not enough.)
30
Sheungs
Mixed Dragon Run: 123 / 456 / 789 using all three Suits, partly/fully exposed or completed by discard.
5
A set can only be part of one Dragon Run, so a hand scores one run at most. If a hand could be read as containing more than one run, the higher-scoring run counts.
Sheungs inside a Dragon Run can only be combined with Sheungs outside the run to form Sister/Brother Sheungs or groups of Terminal Sheungs.
Mixed Dragon Run: 123 / 456 / 789 using all three Suits, fully concealed.
10
A set can only be part of one Dragon Run, so a hand scores one run at most. If a hand could be read as containing more than one run, the higher-scoring run counts.
Sheungs inside a Dragon Run can only be combined with Sheungs outside the run to form Sister/Brother Sheungs or groups of Terminal Sheungs.
Pure Dragon Run: 123 / 456 / 789 all in one Suit, partly/fully exposed or completed by discard.
15
A set can only be part of one Dragon Run, so a hand scores one run at most. If a hand could be read as containing more than one run, the higher-scoring run counts.
Sheungs inside a Dragon Run can only be combined with Sheungs outside the run to form Sister/Brother Sheungs or groups of Terminal Sheungs.
Pure Dragon Run: 123 / 456 / 789 all in one Suit, fully concealed.
20
A set can only be part of one Dragon Run, so a hand scores one run at most. If a hand could be read as containing more than one run, the higher-scoring run counts.
Sheungs inside a Dragon Run can only be combined with Sheungs outside the run to form Sister/Brother Sheungs or groups of Terminal Sheungs.
Brother Sheungs: Identical number sequence, same Suit.
Two Sheungs
5
Three Sheungs
15
Four Sheungs
25
However if all Sheungs in a Brother Sheung group have been used for Terminal Sheung groups, the Brother Sheung group cannot be formed.
In the case where there could be a group of three Brother Sheungs, but two of them have been used for Terminal Sheung groups, the Brother Sheungs should be scored as two groups of two Brother Sheungs rather than a group of three Brother Sheungs.
Example The hand: the Pure Dragon Run (pink), the first extra 123 (blue) and the second extra 123 (gold).
Pure Dragon Run
Terminal Sheungs: the first extra 123 with the run’s 789.
Terminal Sheungs: the second extra 123 with the run’s 789.
Not Terminal Sheungs: the run’s 123 and 789 are in the same Dragon Run.
Brother Sheungs: the run’s 123 with the first extra 123.
Brother Sheungs: the run’s 123 with the second extra 123.
Not Brother Sheungs: both extra 123s are already in Terminal Sheung groups.
Sister Sheungs: Same number sequence, different Suits.
Two Sheungs
3
Three Sheungs, three different Suits
10
Four Sheungs, any Suits
25
Five Sheungs, any Suits
40
However if all Sheungs in a Sister Sheung group have been used for Terminal Sheung groups, the Sister Sheung group cannot be formed.
In the case where there could be a group of three Sister Sheungs, but two of them have been used for Terminal Sheung groups, the Sister Sheungs should be scored as two groups of two Sister Sheungs rather than a group of three Sister Sheungs.
Example The hand: 123 Bamboo (pink), 123 Characters (blue) and 123 Circles (gold).
Terminal Sheungs: 123 Bamboo with 789 Bamboo.
Terminal Sheungs: 123 Characters with 789 Characters.
Sister Sheungs: 123 Bamboo with 123 Circles.
Sister Sheungs: 123 Characters with 123 Circles.
Not Sister Sheungs: both are already in Terminal Sheung groups.
Step-up: Three Sheungs, each starting one number higher than the last (Suits may mix; max one award)
5
All step-up hand: Five consecutively stepped Sheungs + any pair
20
Terminals (1s and 9s)
No Terminals, no Honours: No 1s, 9s or Honours (hand doesn’t earn additional points for “no Honours”)
5
Terminals-only hand with Honour tiles: At least one numbered set, and every numbered set contains 1 or 9. Pairs are of 1, 9, or Honours. Sister and Brother Sheungs in the hand still pay.
20
Terminals-only hand with no Honours. Sister and Brother Sheungs in the hand still pay.
40
Two Terminal Pongs: 111 + 999 of the same Suit
5
Four Terminal Pongs: 111 + 999 of one Suit and 111 + 999 of another Suit
20
Two Terminal Sheungs: 123 + 789 of the same Suit.
5
A Terminal Sheung can pair with more than one other Terminal Sheung. For example, 123 + 789 + 789 of the same Suit would result in 123 + 789 and a second 123 + 789.
A Sheung in a Dragon Run can only pair with a Sheung outside the run to form a Terminal Sheung group.
Terminal Sheungs can also count for Sister and Brother Sheungs (see those rows for exceptions).
Four Terminal Sheungs, two Suits: 123 + 789 of one Suit, 123 + 789 of another Suit.
15
Sheungs within the same Dragon Run cannot be combined to form Terminal Sheung groups.
Four Terminal Sheungs, one Suit: Two 123s and two 789s, all the same Suit.
20
Sheungs within the same Dragon Run cannot be combined to form Terminal Sheung groups.
In the case where there could be a group of four Terminal Sheungs, but two of them have been used for a Dragon Run, the Terminal Sheungs should be scored as three groups of two Terminal Sheungs rather than one group of four Terminal Sheungs.
Example The hand: the Pure Dragon Run (pink), the extra 123 (blue) and the extra 789 (gold).
Pure Dragon Run
Terminal Sheungs: the extra 123 with the extra 789.
Terminal Sheungs: the extra 123 with the run’s 789.
Terminal Sheungs: the run’s 123 with the extra 789.
Not Terminal Sheungs: the run’s 123 and 789 are in the same Dragon Run.
Suits and whole-hand structure
Two-Suit hand: Two Suits, no Honours, with Flowers
5
Two-Suit hand, no Honours, no Flowers (the 5 points for no Flowers or Honours is included, not added again)
15
Five-Suit hand: All three Suits + Winds + Dragons
10
Semi-pure hand: One Suit + Honours
30
Pure Suit hand: One Suit, no Honours
90
Pure Honour hand: Winds/Dragons only; also scores its Wind, Dragon and Flower points
140
All-Sheung hand: Five Sheungs + pair with Flowers and/or Honours
5
All-Sheung hand, no Flowers or Honours (the 5 points for no Flowers or Honours is included, not added again)
15
All-Pong hand: Five Pongs/Gongs + pair
25
Dealer streak ("dice on the wall")
Dealer bonus points for a second / third consecutive win
3 / 5
Special hands
Nico Nico: Seven pairs + one Pong. Fully concealed and self-drawn except the winning tile which can be discard or self-drawn. Good Eyes points only received if the winning tile is 8, 5 or 2. No Closing allowed (would be False Mahjong); no concealed-hand bonus.
40
Nico Nico containing one undeclared Gong (four of a kind held as two pairs)
50
Nico Nico containing two such Gongs
65
13 Orphans: 13 Orphan tiles (1 and 9 of each Suit + one of every Wind and Dragon) + any Pong or Sheung + one of any of the 13 Orphan tiles (makes the pair). Hand is fully concealed; Mahjong can be self-drawn or discard.
90
Here the extra 1 of Circles pairs with the first.
16 Orphans: 16 Orphans (three "spread Sheungs" per Suit (tiles at least 3 apart, e.g., 1-4-7 or 1-5-9) + one of each Honour) + one of any of the 16 Orphan tiles (makes the pair). Hand is fully concealed; Mahjong can be self-drawn or discard. No Closing allowed (would be False Mahjong).
50
Here the extra 4 of Circles pairs with the one in the first Sheung.
16 Orphans with 1s and 9s in all Suits
+10
Chicken hand: Hand worth exactly 1 point before adding 5 points for Mahjong
20
Jewel hand: may be exposed; Sheungs and Pongs allowed
Jade hand: Bamboos only + a Pong of green Dragons
20
Ruby hand: Characters only + a Pong of red Dragons
20
Diamond hand: Circles only + a Pong of white Dragons
20