If you’re learning Mahjong, one question keeps coming up:
“What actually counts as a winning hand?”
Across most Mahjong variants, the core structure is the same:
4 melds + 1 pair
But the way those melds score — and which patterns are allowed — depends on the version you’re playing.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn:
- The standard winning structure
- Common hand patterns
- Special hands (like Thirteen Orphans)
- Variant-specific scoring differences
- Examples for beginners
- Strategy insights
If you’re new to the basic rules, start with our full Chinese Mahjong Rules Guide before diving into hand patterns.
Let’s break it down.
The Standard Mahjong Winning Structure
Most Mahjong variants require:
✔ 4 Melds
✔ 1 Pair
A meld can be:
- Chow (sequence of 3 consecutive suited tiles)
- Pung (3 identical tiles)
- Kong (4 identical tiles)
The pair is two identical tiles.
Example of a standard winning hand:
- 2–3–4 Bamboo (Chow)
- 6–7–8 Dots (Chow)
- Red Dragon ×3 (Pung)
- 9 Characters ×3 (Pung)
- East ×2 (Pair)
That’s a legal structure.
Now let’s explore the most common winning hand types.
1. All Chows (Sequence-Based Hand)
Structure:
- 4 sequences
- 1 pair
This is common in Chinese Mahjong and appears in Riichi as Pinfu (with restrictions).
Example:
- 1–2–3 Dots
- 4–5–6 Dots
- 2–3–4 Bamboo
- 7–8–9 Characters
- 5 Characters (pair)
Strength:
Flexible and easier to build.
Variant Notes:
- In Riichi, must be closed and have no value pair for Pinfu Yaku.
- In Hong Kong, may score 1 Fan.
For Riichi scoring differences, see
Japanese Riichi Mahjong Rules.
2. All Pungs (Triplet Hand)
Structure:
- 4 triplets
- 1 pair
Example:
- 3 Bamboo ×3
- 7 Dots ×3
- West ×3
- Green Dragon ×3
- 9 Characters ×2
Strength:
Harder to build but strong scoring potential.
Variant Notes:
- Worth multiple Fan in Hong Kong style
- Known as Toitoi in Riichi (Yaku)
- Highly valuable in most versions
For minimum fan requirements, see
Hong Kong Mahjong Rules.
3. Half Flush (One Suit + Honors)
All tiles from:
- One suit
- Plus honor tiles
Example:
- 2–3–4 Bamboo
- 6–7–8 Bamboo
- Red Dragon ×3
- North ×3
- 5 Bamboo (pair)
Strong mid-level scoring hand.
Common in:
- Hong Kong Mahjong (3 Fan typical)
- Riichi (Honitsu)
4. Full Flush (Pure One Suit)
All tiles from one suit.
No honors.
Example:
- 1–2–3 Dots
- 4–5–6 Dots
- 7–8–9 Dots
- 3 Dots ×3
- 5 Dots (pair)
High risk.
High reward.
Strong scoring in:
- Hong Kong
- Riichi (Chinitsu)
5. All Terminals & Honors
Only:
- 1s
- 9s
- Winds
- Dragons
Very rare.
Very valuable.
Often considered a limit hand in Hong Kong.
6. Thirteen Orphans (Special Hand)
Structure:
- One of each:
- 1 & 9 of each suit
- All winds
- All dragons
- Plus one duplicate of any of those
Example structure:
1 Bamboo
9 Bamboo
1 Dots
9 Dots
1 Characters
9 Characters
East
South
West
North
Red
Green
White
- One duplicate
One of the rarest and most exciting hands.
Allowed in:
- Chinese
- Hong Kong
- Riichi (Yakuman)
7. Seven Pairs
Structure:
- 7 distinct pairs
Example:
2 Bamboo ×2
5 Bamboo ×2
3 Dots ×2
8 Dots ×2
East ×2
Red ×2
7 Characters ×2
No chows.
No pungs.
Common in:
- Riichi (Chiitoitsu)
- Some Chinese variations
8. Mixed Triple Chow
Same sequence in all three suits.
Example:
2–3–4 Bamboo
2–3–4 Dots
2–3–4 Characters
Plus additional meld + pair.
Moderate scoring pattern.
9. Dragon Pungs
Triplet of:
- Red
- Green
- White
Each dragon set adds scoring value.
Easy Fan builder in Hong Kong.
10. Wind Pungs
Triplet of:
- Seat wind
- Round wind
Valuable in Riichi (Yakuhai).
Variant Differences in Winning Hands
Chinese Mahjong
- Any valid structure wins
- Scoring based on complexity
- No Yaku requirement
See full guide:
Chinese Mahjong Rules
Hong Kong Mahjong
- Must meet minimum Fan (often 3)
- Encourages value-building
See full breakdown:
Hong Kong Mahjong Rules
Japanese Riichi Mahjong
- Must contain at least one Yaku
- Dora increase score but don’t qualify
- Defensive play is critical
See full guide:
Japanese Riichi Mahjong Rules
American Mahjong
Completely different system.
Uses:
- Jokers
- NMJL card
- Predefined yearly hands
For that system, see:
American Mahjong Rules Explained
Common Beginner Mistakes With Winning Hands
- Building structure without checking scoring requirements
- Opening hand too early in Riichi
- Chasing Full Flush too aggressively
- Ignoring defensive play
- Forgetting minimum Fan in Hong Kong
For a deeper dive, read:
Common Mahjong Mistakes Beginners Make
How to Practice Recognizing Winning Hands
The fastest way to improve is repetition.
Playing online helps because:
- Scoring is calculated automatically
- Yaku are highlighted
- Hand patterns become visual memory
We reviewed beginner-friendly platforms in
Best Online Mahjong Platforms.
If you’re practicing American-style play specifically, our
I Love Mahj Review explains how guided online hands work.
Do You Need a Physical Set to Practice?
If you’re learning at home, having a clear, readable tile set makes pattern recognition easier.
We compared beginner-friendly options in our
Best Mahjong Sets Guide.
A good set improves visibility and speed.
Final Thoughts
All Mahjong winning hands follow a simple core:
4 melds + 1 pair.
But the scoring patterns layered on top create depth.
Chinese Mahjong teaches structure.
Hong Kong teaches value building.
Riichi teaches qualification and defense.
American teaches card-based pattern matching.
Once you recognize the common hand types, Mahjong stops feeling random.
It becomes a puzzle — one you solve tile by tile.