Last updated: October 2026
Every mahjong tile has a name, and most of them carry a meaning that goes back more than a century. Once you know that the Dots are coins, the Bams are strings of coins and the Craks count in ten thousands, the whole set starts to make sense, and reading your rack gets a lot faster. This guide walks through the name and meaning of every tile in an American Mahjong set, the Chinese characters you will see on them, and what the word mahjong itself means.
Quick answer
| Tile | Also called | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Dots | Circles, coins | Round copper coins, counted 1 to 9 |
| Bams | Bamboo, sticks | Strings of coins, not bamboo at all |
| Craks | Characters, numbers | A number above 萬, "ten thousand" |
| Winds | NEWS | North, East, West and South |
| Red Dragon | Red, Crak Dragon | 中, "center" |
| Green Dragon | Green, Bam Dragon | 發, from a phrase meaning "to get rich" |
| White Dragon | Soap, Dot Dragon | 白, "white board"; also used as zero |
| Flowers | Flowers and Seasons | Bonus tiles; all 8 are interchangeable in American play |
| Jokers | Wild tiles | Stand in for a tile in a group of 3 or more |
What does mahjong mean?
The name is usually traced to the Chinese word for sparrow, 麻雀 (má què), and in Cantonese the game is still called by that name today. A popular explanation is that the clatter of shuffled tiles sounds like a flock of chattering sparrows. The bird also appears on the tiles themselves: the 1 Bam is traditionally drawn as a sparrow.
The spelling "Mah Jongg", with two g's, comes from the 1920s, when the game took off in the United States. It is the spelling still used by the National Mah Jongg League, which publishes the card for American play.
The three suits
A set has three suits, each numbered 1 to 9, with four of every tile. Together they are the heart of the game, and all three come from the same idea: money.
Dots: coins
Each Dot is a round copper coin, the kind once strung together through a square hole in the middle. The 2 Dot has two coins, the 9 Dot has nine, and so on. The 1 Dot is usually one large, decorated circle, and Chinese players nickname it the "big pancake". In American Mahjong, Dots are paired with the White Dragon (Soap).
Bams: strings of coins
Despite the name, Bams are not really bamboo. The sticks show strings of coins tied together, a common way to carry money. English-speaking players saw the knotted strings as bamboo stalks, and the name stuck. The 1 Bam is the exception to the pattern: instead of a single stick, it shows a bird, traditionally a sparrow. Bams are paired with the Green Dragon.
Craks: ten thousands
Craks, short for "characters", show two Chinese characters. The bottom one is always 萬 (wàn), which means ten thousand. The top one is the number. So a 3 Crak reads "three ten-thousands". Many American sets also print a small number in the corner, but it helps to know the characters:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 二 | 三 | 四 | 五 | 六 | 七 | 八 | 九 |
A quick trick: 一, 二 and 三 are simply one, two and three lines. Craks are paired with the Red Dragon.
The Winds
There are four Winds, four of each, for 16 tiles. On traditional tiles they are written in Chinese: 東 East, 南 South, 西 West and 北 North. American sets add the letters N, E, W and S, which is why American players often call them NEWS. Seats at the table are named after the Winds too, and the dealer is always called East.
The Dragons
The three Dragons come four of each, for 12 tiles. In Chinese they are not called dragons at all; the name was given to them in English in the 1920s. Each has its own meaning:
- Red Dragon, 中 (zhōng): the character for "center" or "middle". It is usually printed in red.
- Green Dragon, 發 (fā): the first character of a phrase meaning "to get rich", so it is often read as a symbol of wealth and good fortune.
- White Dragon, 白 (bái): a "white board", often blank or drawn as a simple frame. American players call it Soap, and on the card it also works as a zero, for example in hands that spell out the year.
In American Mahjong each Dragon belongs to a suit: Red with Craks, Green with Bams and Soap with Dots. That is why some sets show a Dragon in the style of its suit, and why you will hear "Crak Dragon", "Bam Dragon" and "Dot Dragon" at the table.
Flowers (and Seasons)
Traditional Chinese sets have two groups of four bonus tiles: the four flowers, plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo, and the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each is numbered 1 to 4.
American sets include 8 Flower tiles, and in American play they are all interchangeable: any Flower counts as a Flower, whatever is drawn on it. That frees designers to have fun, so you will find Flowers decorated with garden blooms, seasonal scenes or the theme of the set.
Jokers and blanks
Jokers are the tile that makes a set American. There are 8 in play, and a Joker can stand in for any tile in a group of three or more identical tiles, but never in a single tile or a pair. Chinese and Hong Kong sets do not include them. Every set is free to give its Jokers its own artwork, so they are often the most memorable tiles in the box. Read Mahjong Jokers explained for every rule.
Blank tiles are spares. Most sets include a few in case a tile goes missing, and some groups use them for house rules. For the full tile count, see what is in an American Mahjong set.
How modern sets redraw the classic tiles
Once you know what each tile stands for, it is fun to see how today's designers reinterpret them. The rules stay the same: a Dot is still a Dot. Only the artwork changes. One example from our collection:
Peace, Love & Mahjong: a 70s makeover
A retro set that keeps every suit easy to spot. The Dots become retro peace circles, the Bams grow as blooming cactus pots, and the Craks shine as rainbow sunbursts. The Winds show sunset and desert scenery, the Flowers bring hippie vans, guitars and peace doves, and the Jokers are 70s boho Flower Girls, all on soft sky-blue backs.
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Peace, Love & Mahjong Retro 70s Set $289.99 |
Looking for more designs? Browse all American Mahjong sets or read our guide to the best American Mahjong sets.
Tips for reading your tiles faster
- Learn the 萬 once. Every Crak has it, so you only need to read the number on top.
- Count the 1 Bam as a Bam. The bird is easy to mistake for a Flower when you are new.
- Remember the Dragon pairs. Red with Craks, Green with Bams, Soap with Dots. Many hands on the card depend on it.
- Sort by suit on your rack. Keep Dots, Bams, Craks, then Winds and Dragons, so you can spot groups at a glance.
- Pick tiles you can read. Clear numerals and larger tiles make a real difference while you learn.
New to the game? Start with Mahjong for beginners and how to play American Mahjong.
FAQ
What are the names of the mahjong tiles?
An American set has Dots, Bams and Craks (the three suits), the four Winds (North, East, West, South), three Dragons (Red, Green and White, also called Soap), Flowers and Jokers, plus a few blank spares.
What does the bird on the 1 Bam mean?
It is traditionally a sparrow, the bird linked to the name of the game. Some modern sets replace it with another bird, such as a crane, an eagle or a peacock.
What does the Chinese character on the Craks mean?
The bottom character, 萬, means ten thousand. The top character is the number from 1 to 9.
Why is the White Dragon called Soap?
Its plain white face looks a little like a bar of soap. In American Mahjong it is paired with Dots and also counts as a zero on the card.
Do Flower tiles have different meanings in American Mahjong?
Not for play. All 8 Flowers are interchangeable, so the artwork is decorative.
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