Mahjong in Chinese 麻将
májiàng
Mahjong in Chinese is 麻将 (má jiàng).
Also searched for as: mahjong, mah-jongg, majiang, play mahjong, mahjong terms.
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The word for mahjong in Chinese is 麻将 (má jiàng), and to play it is 打麻将 (dǎ má jiàng). It's a fixture of family gatherings, especially at Chinese New Year, and the table talk is fast and full of short calls such as 碰 (pèng), 杠 (gàng) and the triumphant 胡了 (hú le), 'I've won!'. Rules vary a lot between regions, but these core words work at almost any table.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 麻将 | má jiàng | mahjong |
| 三缺一 | sān quē yī | one player short |
| 庄家 | zhuāng jiā | dealer |
| 洗牌 | xǐ pái | to shuffle (the tiles) |
| 摸牌 | mō pái | to draw a tile |
| 出牌 | chū pái | to discard; to play a tile |
| 碰 | pèng | pung (claim a triplet) |
| 杠 | gàng | kong (four of a kind) |
| 吃 | chī | chow (claim a run) |
| 听牌 | tīng pái | to be one tile from winning |
| 胡了 | hú le | I win! (mahjong) |
| 自摸 | zì mō | to win on your own draw |
| 点炮 | diǎn pào | to discard someone's winning tile |
| 清一色 | qīng yī sè | all one suit (winning hand) |
| 麻将馆 | má jiàng guǎn | mahjong parlour |
Usage tips
- 三缺一 (sān quē yī), 'three, missing one', is the classic way to invite someone to make up a four, and it's also used jokingly whenever a group needs one more person.
- 胡 (hú) is the call for a winning hand; you may also see it written 和, which is pronounced hú in this meaning.
- Rules differ by region: Sichuan mahjong, for example, doesn't allow 吃 (chī), claiming a run, and scoring varies widely, so ask about the house rules before you start.
Common mistakes
- Saying 玩麻将 (wán má jiàng) → it's understood, but the natural verb is 打 (dǎ): 打麻将 (dǎ má jiàng).
- Mixing up 自摸 (zì mō) and 点炮 (diǎn pào) → 自摸 is winning with a tile you drew yourself, while 点炮 is discarding the tile that lets someone else win, which usually costs you.
Mini dialogue
- A三缺一，你快来！Sān quē yī, nǐ kuài lái!We're one short, come quick!
- B来了来了。这把谁是庄家？Lái le lái le. Zhè bǎ shéi shì zhuāng jiā?Coming! Who's dealer this round?
- A我。轮到你摸牌了。Wǒ. Lún dào nǐ mō pái le.Me. It's your turn to draw.
- B碰！这张我要了。Pèng! Zhè zhāng wǒ yào le.Pung! I'll take that one.
- A快点儿出牌，别想那么久。Kuài diǎnr chū pái, bié xiǎng nà me jiǔ.Hurry up and discard, don't think so long.
- B别急……自摸！胡了！Bié jí…… Zì mō! Hú le!Hang on... self-drawn! I win!
Example sentences
- 过年的时候全家一起打麻将。At New Year the whole family plays mahjong.
- 三缺一，你快来吧！We're one short, come quick!
- 这把谁是庄家？Who's dealer this round?
- 大家一起洗牌，别偷看。Everyone shuffles together, no peeking.
- 轮到你摸牌了。It's your turn to draw.
- 快出牌，别想那么久！Hurry up and discard, don't think so long!
- 碰！这张我要了。Pung! I'll take that tile.
- 我有四个一样的，杠！I've got four the same, kong!
- 四川麻将不能吃。You can't chow in Sichuan mahjong.
- 我已经听牌了，就等一张。I'm ready, just waiting for one tile.
- 胡了！我等这张好久了！Mahjong! I've been waiting ages for that tile!
- 自摸！今天手气真好。Self-drawn win! I'm on a roll today.
- 又是我点炮，太倒霉了。I gave someone the winning tile again, so unlucky.
- 她这把是清一色。She's got an all-one-suit hand this round.
- 楼下新开了一家麻将馆。A new mahjong parlour has opened downstairs.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Mahjong speaking island has 8 everyday questions about mahjong to prepare your own answers to.