List of yaku

Example hand, containing many yaku.

A yaku 「役」 is a certain pattern in a mahjong hand that scores points, and a necessary condition for winning. They are analogous to hands in poker. Unlike poker, multiple yaku can be combined into one hand. Under standard rules, there are 26 different yaku and 11 yakuman (a special class of high-scoring yaku). In addition, one special case may be allowed in nagashi mangan.

In order to win any hand, the hand must have at least one yaku. Even if a hand has dora, it cannot score without a yaku. Declaring a win without yaku can score a chombo penalty. Therefore, when learning the game, it is essential to learn the different types of yaku.

Each yaku has a specified amount of han 「飜」, generally based on their rarity. You can also increase the hand's han count with dora, but this does not count as a yaku. A hand's total han value, counted from adding up yaku and dora, determines the points you'll get in the end.

The most important yaku to learn is riichi, since it is very common and very easy to achieve. A new player may find it easiest to never open their hand, always calling riichi, and get a few wins. However, this strategy is far too simple for serious play; a variety of yaku should be employed.

One han closed only

Menzenchin tsumohou 「門前清自摸和」 Win by self-draw Closed only	Any closed hand that wins by self-draw scores this yaku.

Riichi 「立直」 Ready hand Closed only	Any closed hand that reaches tenpai may declare "riichi" to score this yaku. Declaring riichi requires you to bet 1000 points, and announces you are in tenpai.

Ippatsu 「一発」 One shot Closed only	Declare riichi, then win by your next tile draw. In addition, no player can make tile calls between the riichi call and the win.

Pinfu 「平和」 All sequences Closed only	A closed hand that scores no fu from its composition at tenpai. This requires the hand to have: All sequences. A pair that isn't yakuhai. A ryanmen wait (open wait) at tenpai. A ryanmen is two consecutive, non-terminal, tiles waiting to complete a sequence.
	Agari: or

Iipeikou 「一盃口」 Identical sequences Closed only	A hand with two identical sequences.

One han

Haitei raoyue 「海底撈月」 Win by last draw May be open	Win by drawing the last tile from the live wall.

Houtei raoyui 「河底撈魚」 Win by last discard May be open	Win with the very last discarded tile.

Rinshan kaihou 「嶺上開花」 Win by dead wall draw May be open	Win with a tile from the dead wall - i.e., win by the tile drawn after a kan.

Chankan 「搶槓」 Robbing a kan May be open	Win with a tile used for an opponent's added kan. Essentially, the tile needed to complete a kan is stolen to complete a winning hand.

Tanyao 「断幺九」 All simples May be open (Closed only on variation)	A hand composed of only tiles that are numbered from 2-8. (In other words, a hand with no 1's, 9's, or honors.)
	Agari: or

Yakuhai 「役牌」 Value tiles May be open	A hand with at least one group of dragon tiles, seat wind, or round wind tiles. Each group is worth 1 han.
	Agari: or

Two han

Double riichi 「両立直」 Double ready Closed only	Declare riichi before your first discard, and before any player makes a tile call.

Chantaiyao 「全帯幺九」 Terminal or honor in each group May be open (Loses 1 han)	All tile groups, and the pair, contain at least 1 terminal or honor.
	Agari: or

Sanshoku doujun 「三色同順」 Three colored straight May be open (Loses 1 han)	Three sequences with the same numbers, across the three different suits.

Ittsu 「一気通貫」 Straight May be open (Loses 1 han)	Have sequences of "123", "456", and "789", all of the same suit, appearing as "123456789". Simply having every tile from 1-9 is not enough; the hand must have those exact sequences.

Toitoi 「対々」 All triplets May be open	The entire hand is composed of triplets (and/or quads).
	Agari: or

Sanankou 「三暗刻」 Three closed triplets May be open	Three closed triplets (and/or quads). Each of the three triplets must be formed without calling any tiles; a triplet completed by ron does not count as closed. The fourth group can be an open triplet or sequence.
	Agari: or

Sanshoku doukou 「三色同刻」 Three colored triplets May be open	Three groups of triplets (and/or quads) with the same number.
	Agari:

Sankantsu 「三槓子」 Three kans May be open	Three quads of any type.
	Agari:

Chiitoitsu 「七対子」 Seven pairs Closed only	This hand is composed of seven pairs; each pair must be unique. It is one of two exceptions to the standard 4 tile groups and a pair pattern.
	Agari:

Honroutou 「混老頭」 Terminals and honors May be open (Consider as 4 han †)	Every tile is either a terminal or an honor tile. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without either chiitoitsu or toitoi.
	Agari: or

Shousangen 「小三元」 Small three dragons May be open (Consider as 4 han †)	Two triplets (and/or quads) of dragons, and a pair of the third dragon. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without two sets of yakuhai, from the two dragon triplets.
	Agari: or

Three han

Honitsu 「混一色」 Half flush May be open (Loses 1 han)	This is a single suit hand mixed with some honor tiles.
	Agari: or

Junchan taiyao 「純全帯么」 Terminal in each meld May be open (Loses 1 han)	All tile groups, and the pair, contain at least one terminal.
	Agari:

Ryanpeikou 「二盃口」 Two sets of identical sequences Closed only	Two sets of "iipeikou". Does not combine with chiitoitsu, even though it can be interpreted as one.
	Agari:

Six han

Chinitsu 「清一色」 Flush May be open (Loses 1 han)	Every tile is a number tile with the same suit. The most valuable yaku, outside of yakuman.
	Agari: or

Yakuman

Kazoe yakuman 「数え役満」 Counted yakuman May be open	Any hand that scores 13+ han via regular yaku and/or dora is a kazoe yakuman. Does not combine with other yakuman.

Kokushi musou 「国士無双 or 国士無双１３面待ち」 Thirteen orphans Closed only	This hand has one of each of the 13 different terminal and honor tiles, plus one extra terminal or honor tile. Some rules may allow double yakuman for a 13-wait set.
	Agari:

Suuankou 「四暗刻 or 四暗刻単騎」 Four closed triplets Closed only	Have four groups of closed triplets (and/or closed quads). When this hand has a shanpon pattern and the win is via ron, then it would not be counted as suuankou; only as the lesser toitoi with sanankou. When this hand has a tanki pattern, it may win by tsumo or ron.
	Tsumo: or

Daisangen 「大三元」 Big three dragons May be open	Have three groups (triplets or quads) of all the dragons.
	Agari:

Shousuushii 「小四喜」 Small winds May be open	Have three groups (triplets or quads) of the wind tiles, plus a pair of the fourth kind.
	Agari:

Daisuushii 「大四喜」 Big winds May be open	Have four groups (triplets or quads) of all four wind tiles. Scored as a double yakuman in some rulesets.
	Agari:

Tsuuiisou 「字一色」 All honors May be open	Every tile is an honor tile.
	Agari: or

Chinroutou 「清老頭」 All terminals May be open	Every tile is a terminal tile.
	Agari: or

Ryuuiisou 「緑一色」 All green May be open	Every tile is a "green" tile, which includes: 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 Sou and/or Hatsu.
	Agari: or

Chuuren poutou 「九連宝燈 or 純正九蓮宝燈」 Nine gates Closed only	A hand consisting of the tiles 1112345678999 in the same suit, plus any one extra tile of the same suit.
	Agari: Any manzu.

Suukantsu 「四槓子」 Four kans May be open	Any hand with four calls of kan.
	Agari:

Initial yakuman

Tenhou 「天和」 Heavenly hand Closed only	The dealer has a winning hand by their first draw.

Chiihou 「地和」 Earthly hand Closed only	A non-dealer has a winning hand by their first draw. In addition, no player can make tile calls before then.

Special case

This yaku does not specifically deal with a player's hand, but rather the player's discards. In addition, the hand may or may not be at tenpai upon scoring. The result of nagashi mangan modifies the case of ryuukyoku, where point exchanges equate to mangan.

Nagashi mangan 「流し満貫」 Terminal honor discards Closed only (May be open on variation)	All the discards are terminals and/or honors. In addition, none of these discards were called by other players.

Local

Main article: Local yaku

The above list is generally considered as the "standard yaku", including the yakuman. However, the game offers an even larger array of tile patterns. Various house rules may opt to use some of these yaku on their own.

External links

• 麻雀の役一覧

List of yaku in Japanese Wikipedia

• Yaku frequency among Tenhou.net players (Japanese)

Lists all the yaku occurrences in Tenhou.net by percentages and by room

• Yaku short list

Pointing out which yaku to learn first

• Wikipedia

Yaku list in Wikipedia.