n. A classification of tiles consisting of three tiles. They are red, green, and white, bearing the characters chung, fat, and bo (or often none at all in the last case), respectively. Generally called Dragons by westerners.
n. A set of conditions either with respect to how a hand was completed or the tiles within it that entitles the player holding it to double their points. Doubles are cumulative, and can result in ludicrous scores in excess of 25 million, so there is a Limit.
n. A western misnomer for the three tiles more correctly classed as Colors. These tiles bear a red chung, a green fat, and the third varies. It is referred to as white, though it can be blank or have a rectangular pattern, and is sometimes known by the character of bo.
n. Four special, nonidentical tiles, each associated with one Wind. The are set aside as soon as drawn, replaced with a Loose Tile. They are not used in melds, but do give points and possibly Doubles. There exists another set of almost identical tiles called Seasons.
n. Four identical tiles. When a player completes a Kong, it is placed on the table, with the two middle tiles face-down if it was a Concealed one. The player then draws a Loose Tile, and discards normally. Open Kongs may be Robbed to complete a winning hand.
n. The maximum amount of points a player may win in a single round, agreed upon before the game, and typically set to between 500 and 1500. As usual, East can win (or lose!) twice this amount. Some special hands are agreed upon beforehand to be automatically worth the Limit.
n. The last two tiles in the Dead Wall. When the Dead Wall is set up, six stacks of two tiles each are separated slightly from the main wall. Another stack is taken up, and the tiles are placed on top of the last and third-to-last stacks of the dead wall. Loose tiles are drawn when someone draws a Flower or Season, or completes a Kong. If both are drawn, take up a new stack from the rear of the wall and replenish the loose tiles. Thus, the Dead Wall may have fourteen or thirteen tiles at any given point in the game.
n. A Wind that starts with East and changes every four hands, once the original East is East again. When the winds have gone around (i.e. the original East is East again, and the prevailing wind is again East), the game ends. (Although addicts are allowed to start up another game, of course!) Tiles of the Prevailing Wind as well as of a player's own Wind are worth more in melds.
n. Four special, nonidentical tiles, each associated with one Wind. The are set aside as soon as drawn, replaced with a Loose Tile. They are not used in melds, but do give points and possibly Doubles. There exists another set of almost identical tiles called Flowers.
Simple Tiles
n. A classification of tiles consisting of the 2 through 8 in any suit. Also known as Minor Tiles.
n. A classification of tiles consisting of the tiles bearing the characters representing east, west, north, and south. Each player is associated with a wind, which changes every hand. East is the dealer.
