Beginner's Guide · mahj with kaley
American Mahjong Terms Every Beginner Needs to Know
No gatekeeping. No intimidation. Just the vocabulary - explained like your best friend taught you.
Okay - let's be real. You sat down at your first mahjong game, someone said "call the Charleston" and you smiled and nodded like you had absolutely any idea what was happening. I've been there. We've all been there.
Here's the thing: American mahjong has its own language, and once you know it, the game goes from confusing to completely click-into-place satisfying. This glossary covers every term you'll hear at the table - straight from the National Mah Jongg League's official book, but translated into plain English with zero intimidation.
Bookmark this page. Screenshot it. Text it to your girls before your first game. This is your cheat sheet.
In this post
Section 01
Before the Game Starts
These terms happen before a single tile is played - and they trip up beginners every single time.
The Card
The National Mah Jongg League's Official Standard Hands & Rules Card - the laminated card that lists all the winning hands for the year. It changes annually. Every player needs one.
Think of it as your answer key. You're not memorizing it - you're reading it all game long. That's the point!
The Wall
The four rows of tiles stacked and arranged face-down in a square before the game begins. Each side of the table builds one section of the wall.
Breaking the Wall
East (the first player) rolls the dice to determine exactly where in the wall to "break" - meaning where to start drawing tiles. The tiles to the right of the break point are reserved for the end of the game.
East
The position of the first player - also called the Pivot. East breaks the wall, deals tiles, and goes first. The East position rotates after each winning hand.
Being East feels fancy. Lean into it.
Charleston
The tile exchange that happens before play begins. Players pass unwanted tiles to the right, then across, then to the left - three passes total. This is everyone's favorite part of the game.
The Charleston is basically the social warm-up. You're trading tiles AND chatting. Perfect.
Blind Pass
During the last pass of the Charleston, you may pass one, two, or three tiles without looking at them first. You take from one direction and pass along to another.
Courtesy Pass (Optional Pass)
An optional final pass at the very end of the Charleston. Players may exchange 0, 1, 2, or 3 tiles with the player across from them. No one has to - it's your call.
Earthly Hand
A rare and exciting moment - when East is able to declare Mah Jongg immediately after the Charleston, before anyone else draws a tile.
If this happens in your game, please celebrate loudly. It deserves it.
"The Charleston is basically the social warm-up of mahjong. You're trading tiles, chatting, and getting to know your hand - all at once."
- Kaley, mahj with kaleySection 02
Tile Groups & Winning Hands
Understanding how tiles group together is the whole game. These are your building blocks.
Hand
One of the specific tile combinations listed on the Card. Your goal all game is to build one of these hands. Each year, the NMJL releases a new Card with new hands.
Winning Hand
A complete combination of 14 tiles that matches one of the hands shown on the current year's Card. When you have this, you declare Mah Jongg!
Pair
Two identical tiles. Important rule: Jokers may NOT be used in a pair. The two tiles must be genuine matches.
Pung
Three identical tiles, which may include Jokers.
Pung is probably the first tile group you'll recognize on the Card. Three of a kind!
Kong
Four identical tiles, which may include Jokers.
Quint
Five identical tiles - must include at least one Joker (since there are only four of any given tile). Exception: a Quint of Flowers doesn't require a Joker.
Sextet
Six identical tiles - must include at least two Jokers. Exception: a Sextet of Flowers doesn't require Jokers.
Run
Two or more consecutive numbers in the same suit. For example: 2-Bam, 3-Bam, 4-Bam.
Concealed Hand
A hand completed entirely from tiles you draw yourself, without ever calling a discarded tile for an exposure - except for the very last tile (the 14th tile that wins the game).
Concealed hands are usually worth more points. The challenge makes the reward sweeter.
Exposed Hand
A hand where you called at least one discarded tile to complete a Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet shown on the Card. Those claimed tiles sit face-up on top of your rack for everyone to see.
Set Hand
When a player needs just one more tile to declare Mah Jongg. This is the moment everyone at the table gets a little more careful about what they discard.
Kaley's tip: When you're new, focus on finding Pungs and Kongs on the Card first - they're the easiest groups to spot and build. Don't worry about Quintets and Sextets right away. Walk before you run.
Section 03
During Play
The terms you'll hear called out at the table - and need to react to quickly.
Call
To verbalize your intent to claim a discarded tile. You can say "Call," "Take," "I want that," or similar - the point is to claim it before the next player draws.
Say it out loud and say it clearly. Don't mumble your call and then wonder why someone else picked it up!
Discard
Any tile that has been fully named and/or touched the table. Once a tile is discarded, it's in play - other players can call it.
Claim
To take a called tile and add it to an exposure on top of your rack.
Exposure
When you claim a discarded tile, the completed group goes on top of your rack, face-up, visible to all players. It tells everyone part of your hand.
Hold
A way to pause play before deciding whether to call a tile. You can say "Hold" or "Wait." If the player whose turn is next makes a call before you decide, they get priority.
Hot Tile
A tile that is obviously needed by another player - usually because they've already shown an exposure of the same tile. Discarding a hot tile is a risk.
Reading hot tiles is one of the most satisfying skills you'll develop. It takes a few games, but you'll get there!
Dogging
When a player intentionally doesn't discard tiles that are obviously needed by others - often breaking up their own hand to play safe. Defensive play.
Dogging is a real strategy, not cheating. Sometimes keeping your opponents from winning is more important than winning yourself!
Dead Hand
A hand that can no longer be won - usually because a player has made an exposure that doesn't match any winnable combination on the Card. If your hand is dead, you must still discard each turn but cannot win the round.
Wall Game
When all tiles have been drawn from the wall and no one has declared Mah Jongg. The round ends with no winner - a draw.
Round
Completed after all four players have had a chance to be East (the first player position). A full game usually consists of one or more rounds.
Bettor
The player making a bet - or, in some versions of play, the round disk that indicates which player is being bet on.
Section 04
Jokers & Special Tiles
Jokers are powerful wildcards - and the source of a lot of beginner confusion. Let's clear it up.
Joker
A wildcard tile that can stand in for any symbol tile in a Pung, Kong, Quint, or Sextet. However, Jokers cannot be used in a Pair, and they cannot be used in a Run.
Jokers are your best friends - until someone steals one from your exposure. Yes, that's a rule!
Natural Tile (Symbol Tile)
Any non-Joker tile. Also called a Symbol tile. When someone exchanges a Joker from your exposure, they must replace it with the natural tile it was standing in for.
Joker Exchange
Any player, on their turn, may swap a natural tile for a Joker in another player's exposure - if they have the exact tile the Joker is replacing. The Joker then goes to the player who made the exchange.
This is one of those rules that feels shocking the first time it happens to you. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Finesse Move
When the last move before declaring Mah Jongg is a Joker exchange - swapping a natural tile into another player's exposure and taking their Joker to complete your winning hand. A power move.
Soap / Zero / White Dragon
Three names for the same tile. The White Dragon tile is called Soap (and sometimes Zero) in American Mahjong. When used as a Zero, it may be used with any suit.
Don't be confused when someone says "soap." Same tile, different nickname - very American mahjong of us.
Kards
Playing cards used instead of tiles to play Mah Jongg. Some sets include kards as an alternative.
The most important Joker rule to remember: Jokers cannot be used in a Pair. Ever. If a hand on the Card includes a Pair, those two tiles must be genuine matches - no Joker substitutions. This trips up so many beginners (and honestly, some experienced players too).
Section 05
Winning & Scoring
The best part. Here's everything that happens when someone wins - including the terms that affect how much you owe.
Mah Jongg!
The declaration you make when you have a complete winning hand of 14 tiles matching one of the combinations on the Card. Say it out loud, say it proud.
There is no better feeling in this game than saying "Mah Jongg!" for the first time. Ask anyone who's been in my classes.
Paying for the Table
When a player makes an error - like a misnamer or incorrect exposure - they may be required to pay four times the value of the hand. The penalty for careless play.
Heavenly Hand
When East is able to declare Mah Jongg before the Charleston even begins - immediately after tiles are dealt. Even rarer than an Earthly Hand.
If this ever happens in your game, please document it. It's legendary.
Misnamer
When a player incorrectly names a tile during an exposure. If Mah Jongg is declared with a misnamer, the hand is "dead" and the player pays four times the hand value.
Section 06
Quick-Reference FAQ
The questions I hear most often at the table - answered fast.
Can I use a Joker in a Pair?
No. Never. Pairs must be two genuine identical tiles. This is one of the most common beginner mistakes - and now you know!
Can I look at tiles before passing them in a Blind Pass?
No. A Blind Pass means you pass without looking. That's the whole point of the "blind" part!
Does my hand have to be completely secret?
Not necessarily - if you call a tile for an exposure, part of your hand becomes visible on top of your rack. Only a Concealed Hand requires no exposures (until the winning tile).
What's the difference between a Call and a Claim?
A Call is the verbal announcement that you want a discarded tile. A Claim is the act of actually taking it and placing it in your exposure. You call first, then claim.
Can I rearrange my tiles after someone else calls?
No. Players must announce the value of their hand and cannot add to or subtract from an exposure after another player calls attention to it. The hand score doesn't change if another player picks a higher-value tile later in the game.
Ready to put these terms into practice?
Learn Mahjong With Me in DFW
Now that you've got the vocabulary down - it's time to actually play. I host beginner-friendly mahjong experiences across Dallas, Frisco, Plano, McKinney, and Allen. I bring everything. You just show up.
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