If you’re new to mahjong, the game can feel like it comes with its own language. Words like “Charleston,” “joker,” and “pung” get tossed around the table, and it can take a few games before everything starts to make sense.
The good news is that once you learn a handful of key terms, the game becomes much easier to follow. Here are a few of the most common mahjong terms every beginner should know.
The Charleston
The Charleston is the tile-passing portion at the beginning of the game. Players pass tiles to each other in a set pattern before the game officially begins.
It may feel a little chaotic at first, but it helps players shape their starting hands before the real gameplay begins.
Pung
A pung is a set of three identical tiles. For example, three identical bams or three identical dragons.
When a player calls a pung, they are claiming a discarded tile to complete that set.
Kong
A kong is similar to a pung, but it consists of four identical tiles instead of three.
Kongs are less common, but they can be a powerful part of certain hands.
Joker
Jokers are wild tiles that can be used to substitute for other tiles in many hands. They add an extra layer of strategy and excitement to the game.
And if you’ve ever seen someone’s face light up when they draw a joker, you know how fun they can be.
Mahjong (Mahj)
When a player completes a valid hand from the card, they call “Mahjong!” or simply “Mahj.”
This signals the end of the game and means that player has successfully completed their hand.
Don’t Worry About Memorizing Everything
One of the biggest misconceptions beginners have is that they need to memorize every term and rule before they can enjoy playing.
The truth is that most players learn the language of mahjong simply by sitting down and playing with others.
At Where Dragons Play, we see beginners pick up these terms naturally after just a few games. The more you play, the more comfortable everything becomes.
Before long, words like “Charleston” and “pung” will feel like second nature.