Japanese Riichi mahjong: yaku guide

In Japanese mahjong you need a yaku to win. This page covers 16 common yaku, each with an example and a counterexample.

A few things to know first

Each player holds 13 tiles; a winning hand has 14: four sets and a pair (seven pairs and thirteen orphans are the exceptions).
No yaku, no win. Dora add han but are not a yaku by themselves.
Some yaku count only with a concealed hand (no chow, pung or open kong); others lose 1 han once you call.
Han and fu together set the score; 5 han or more is a mangan, and 13 or more is a counted yakuman.

Yaku entries

Every example and counterexample was checked by the game's scoring program; the result it produced is shown under each example.

Riichi

1 han (concealed only)#

With a concealed hand (no chow, pung or open kong) that is ready, declare riichi and put up 1000 points. You can no longer change your hand; winning adds 1 han and lets you check the ura-dora.

Example

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo Win8 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast roundRiichi

Counted by the scoring program:

Riichi1 fan
Pinfu1 fan
Tanyao1 fan
Total3 han 30 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo Win8 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

The same hand without a riichi declaration misses this han (it still has all simples, so it can win).

Menzen Tsumo

1 han (concealed only)#

Draw your winning tile yourself with a concealed hand. Self-draw after calling does not count.

Example

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots9 Dots9 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo Win8 Bamboo

Self-drawEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Menzen Tsumo1 fan
Pinfu1 fan
Total2 han 20 fu

Counterexample

5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots9 Dots9 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo Win8 Bamboo 2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters

Self-drawEast seatEast round

After a chow, self-draw no longer gives menzen tsumo (and this hand has no yaku).

Pinfu

1 han (concealed only)#

All four sets are chows, the pair is not a value tile, and the wait is two-sided: the classic no-fu hand.

Example

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots9 Dots9 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo Win8 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Pinfu1 fan
Total1 han 30 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots5 Dots9 Dots9 Dots6 Bamboo8 Bamboo Win7 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

The same tiles won on a closed wait (the 7 of bamboo between 6 and 8) are not pinfu.

Tanyao

1 fan#

Only suit tiles from 2 to 8, with no terminals or honors. It counts with calls too (kuitan).

Example

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo Win5 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Pinfu1 fan
Tanyao1 fan
Total2 han 30 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters3 Dots4 Dots7 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo8 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win5 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

A 9 of bamboo breaks all simples.

Iipeikou

1 han (concealed only)#

Two identical chows in the same suit, such as two 2-3-4 of characters.

Example

2 Characters2 Characters3 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Dots6 Dots7 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo8 Bamboo9 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win4 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Pinfu1 fan
Iipeikou1 fan
Total2 han 30 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters5 Dots6 Dots7 Dots6 Bamboo7 Bamboo8 Bamboo9 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win4 Characters 2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

One of them was called with chow; after calling it is no longer iipeikou (and this hand has no yaku).

Value tiles (dragons, round wind, seat wind)

1 han each#

A pung of any dragon, or of the round wind or your seat wind. It counts with calls and is the easiest yaku to make.

Example

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters6 Dots7 Dots8 Dots3 Bamboo4 Bamboo5 Bamboo9 BambooRed DragonRed DragonRed Dragon Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Yakuhai: Red Dragon1 fan
Total1 han 40 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters6 Dots7 Dots8 Dots3 Bamboo4 Bamboo5 Bamboo9 Bamboo9 BambooRed DragonRed Dragon Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

A pair of red dragons (as the pair) is not a value pung.

Sanshoku Doujun

2 han (1 han if called)#

The same chow in characters, dots and bamboo.

Example

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters1 Dots2 Dots3 Dots1 Bamboo2 Bamboo3 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Sanshoku Doujun2 fan
Total2 han 40 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters1 Dots2 Dots3 Dots2 Bamboo3 Bamboo4 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

The bamboo chow is 2-3-4, a different number, so it is not a mixed triple chow.

Ittsu

2 han (1 han if called)#

1-2-3, 4-5-6 and 7-8-9 in one suit.

Example

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters8 Characters2 Dots3 Dots4 Dots5 Bamboo5 Bamboo Win9 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Pinfu1 fan
Ittsu2 fan
Total3 han 30 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters2 Dots3 Dots4 Dots7 Dots8 Dots5 Bamboo5 Bamboo Win9 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

The 7-8-9 is in dots, a different suit, so it doesn't count.

Toitoi

2 fan#

All four sets are pungs (or kongs). Called pungs are fine.

Example

9 Characters4 Dots4 Dots4 Dots7 Bamboo7 Bamboo7 Bamboo Win9 Characters 2 Characters2 Characters2 Characters5 Dots5 Dots5 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Toitoi2 fan
Total2 han 40 fu

Counterexample

9 Characters4 Dots4 Dots4 Dots7 Bamboo8 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win9 Characters 2 Characters2 Characters2 Characters5 Dots5 Dots5 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

One chow among them means it is not all pungs.

Three concealed triplets

2 fan#

Three pungs you drew yourself (concealed pungs). A pung completed with another player's discard is not concealed.

Example

2 Characters2 Characters2 Characters3 Characters5 Characters5 Dots5 Dots5 Dots7 Bamboo7 Bamboo7 Bamboo9 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win4 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Three concealed triplets2 fan
Total2 han 50 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters2 Characters2 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters5 Dots5 Dots5 Dots7 Bamboo7 Bamboo9 Bamboo9 Bamboo Win7 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

That pung was completed with another player's 7 of bamboo, so it is not concealed; only two remain.

Chiitoitsu

2 han (concealed only)#

Seven different pairs: one of the few winning shapes that is not four sets plus a pair.

Example

1 Characters1 Characters2 Characters2 Characters3 Dots3 Dots4 Dots4 Dots5 Bamboo5 Bamboo6 Bamboo6 BambooWhite Dragon WinWhite Dragon

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Chiitoitsu2 fan
Total2 han 25 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters1 Characters2 Characters2 Characters3 Dots3 Dots4 Dots4 Dots5 Bamboo5 Bamboo6 BambooWhite DragonWhite Dragon WinWhite Dragon

RonEast seatEast round

Only six pairs: not a winning hand.

Little three dragons

2 han (plus two value pungs)#

Pungs of two dragons and a pair of the third.

Example

2 Characters3 Characters5 Dots6 Dots7 DotsRed DragonRed DragonRed DragonGreen DragonGreen DragonGreen DragonWhite DragonWhite Dragon Win4 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Yakuhai: Red Dragon1 fan
Yakuhai: Green Dragon1 fan
Little three dragons2 fan
Total4 han 50 fu

Counterexample

2 Characters3 Characters5 Dots6 Dots7 Dots9 Bamboo9 BambooRed DragonRed DragonRed DragonGreen DragonGreen DragonGreen Dragon Win4 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

The pair is not a dragon, so there are just two value pungs.

Chanta

2 han (1 han if called)#

Every set and the pair include a terminal or honor, and the hand uses honors.

Example

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters7 Dots8 Dots9 Dots1 Bamboo2 Bamboo3 Bamboo9 BambooEast WindEast WindEast Wind Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Yakuhai: Seat Wind1 fan
Yakuhai: Round Wind1 fan
Chanta2 fan
Total4 han 40 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters7 Dots8 Dots9 Dots2 Bamboo3 Bamboo4 Bamboo9 BambooEast WindEast WindEast Wind Win9 Bamboo

RonEast seatEast round

The 2-3-4 of bamboo has no terminal or honor.

Half flush

3 han (2 han if called)#

Suit tiles of a single suit, plus honors.

Example

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters8 CharactersEast WindEast WindEast WindRed Dragon WinRed Dragon

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Yakuhai: Seat Wind1 fan
Yakuhai: Round Wind1 fan
Half flush3 fan
Total5 han 50 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters6 Dots7 Dots8 DotsEast WindEast WindEast WindRed Dragon WinRed Dragon

RonEast seatEast round

Dots have crept in.

Full flush

6 han (5 han if called)#

Only one suit, no honors.

Example

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters7 Characters8 Characters9 Characters9 Characters Win9 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Pinfu1 fan
Full flush6 fan
Total7 han 30 fu

Counterexample

1 Characters2 Characters3 Characters3 Characters4 Characters5 Characters5 Characters6 Characters7 Characters7 Characters8 Characters9 Characters9 Dots Win9 Dots

RonEast seatEast round

The pair is in dots, so there is more than one suit.

Kokushi Musou

Yakuman#

One each of the 13 terminals and honors, plus a second of any one of them.

Example

1 Characters1 Characters1 Dots9 Dots1 Bamboo9 BambooEast WindSouth WindWest WindNorth WindRed DragonGreen DragonWhite Dragon Win9 Characters

RonEast seatEast round

Counted by the scoring program:

Kokushi MusouYakuman
TotalYakuman

Counterexample

1 Characters1 Characters9 Characters1 Dots9 Dots1 Bamboo9 BambooEast WindSouth WindWest WindNorth WindRed DragonGreen Dragon WinGreen Dragon

RonEast seatEast round

No white dragon, so the 13 kinds are not complete.

Rules version riichi/2026.09-p2

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