Mah-Jongg Tiles The game of Mah Jong uses many different pieces of equipment.

The tiles themselves are divided into three categories: Simple Suits, Honours & Flo ers. There are three different suits, or simple suits, hich are num!ered starting at one and ending ith nine.
The Dots or the Circles or the Balls

It is easy to tell which is which of the balls or circles. Just count the dots on each tile. The Bamboo tiles

Bamboo tile number 1 is a peacock or a Mah Jongg bird. On the other bamboo tiles you can count the bamboo shoots to see their value. The Characters

The hinese numbers from 1! !!! to "! !!! could be most difficult to keep apart. But the arabic numbers will help you.

Follo ing this are the Honour Suits. There are only t o of these suits, called the "inds and the #ragons. The "ind tiles have the four different directions of the ind $ %orth, South, &ast & "est. The #ragons have three colours $ red, hite, and green. There are a total of four tiles in each of the Honours.

The Wind tiles

The letters on the wind tiles are the first letter in the #nglish word for #ast$ %orth$ &outh and 'est. The Dragon tiles

There are (ust three dragon tiles$ the red$ the green and the white dragon. The white dragon can have an image of a rectangle.

There are eight additional tiles referred to as 'onus Tiles. (ou have four Seasons and four Flo ers. &ach of these has four different )inds sho n on the tiles. The four seasons are $ Spring, Summer, *utumn & "inter. The Flo ers are $ +lum 'lossom, ,rchid, -hrysanthemum & 'am!oo.
Flowers and Seasons

There are ) different flowers and seasons. They can look very different from game to game.

Dots or Circles

Bamboo

Myriads or Characters

Winds

Dragons

4 Seasons

4 Flowers

TIL SI! S"

*rom left to right+ Japanese$ ,merican$ -ong .ong$ and /ietnamese tiles Here are the dimensions of typical *merican tiles .this is also the si/e of most tiles used in &ngland and &urope today0: H 1 2cm .3$452670 " 1 6.3 to 6.6cm .685267 to 95:70 # 1 3.2 to 3.;cm .345267 to 3952670 Here are the dimensions of typical Japanese tiles: H 1 6.4cm .370 " 1 3.:cm .6252670 # 1 3.<cm .3852670 Here are the dimensions of typical Hong =ong tiles: H 1 2.9cm .3$953<70 " 1 6.:cm .3$252670 # 1 6.6cm .95:70 Here are the dimensions of typical >ietnamese tiles: H 1 2.<cm .3$953<70 " 1 6.9cm .3$252670 # 1 6.2cm .6852670 'one and !am!oo tiles can vary in si/e: H 1 6.; to 6.8cm .3453<7 to 3$452670 " 1 3.94 to 6.6cm .25;7 to 95:70 # 1 3.3 to 3.6cm .345267 to 35670 *nd smaller !one and !am!oo tiles are also not uncommon .usually made for use as 7travel sets70. Tiles come in other si/es too. The -hinese are !ecoming increasingly fond of !ig tiles? *merican and &uropean tiles are medium$si/ed? the Japanese prefer smaller thic)er tiles.