List of yaku

A yaku is a certain pattern in a mahjong hand, or a special condition under which a win is declared.

A player requires at least one yaku to declare a win.

The game rules define lots of different yaku, worth a different amount of han based on their difficulty. A player can incorporate several different yaku in the same hand and add their han values for high-scoring hands.

Dora are not considered yaku, even though they provide han. A hand having no yaku may not win, even if it has multiple dora.

One han closed only

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed [[Menzen tsumo]] 「門前清自摸和」 Closed only This yaku may apply to any closed hand. Any player who draws a winning tile with a closed hand is awarded this yaku. [[Riichi]] 「立直」 Closed only This is a special yaku applied to closed tenpai hands, which requires the player to make a declaration and "wager". [[Ippatsu]] 「一発」 Closed only This is applied when the player calling riichi wins within 4 tile draws/discards. In addition, the cycle must not be interrupted by tile calls. [[Pinfu]] 「平和」 Closed only Typically known as "all sequences", this is a hand that does not gain fu based on composition, other than that of a closed ron. Agari: or [[Iipeikou]] 「一盃口」 Closed only This hand includes two identical sequences.

One han

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed [[Haitei raoyue]] 「海底撈月」 May be open The hand is completed with the last tile on the wall. [[Houtei raoyui]] 「河底撈魚」 May be open The hand is completed with the very last discarded tile. [[Rinshan kaihou]] 「嶺上開花」 May be open This yaku is awarded upon winning with a tile from the dead wall. [[Chankan]] 「搶槓」 May be open The winning tile for a hand is called on another player's Kan. Essentially, the tile needed to complete a Kan is stolen to complete a winning hand. [[Tanyao]] 「断幺九」 May be open (Closed only on variation) A hand composed of only inside (numbers 2-8) tiles Agari: or [[Yakuhai]] 「役牌」 May be open A hand with at least one group of dragon tiles, seat wind, or round wind tiles. This hand can be valued at 1 han for each group. Agari: or

Two han

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed [[Double riichi]] 「ダブルリーチ」 Closed only Riichi is declared with a dealt hand before the first discard. [[Chanta]] 「全帯幺九」 May be open (Loses 1 han) All melds contain at least 1 terminals or honor. Agari: or [[Sanshoku]] 「三色同順」 May be open (Loses 1 han) Three sequences have the same number across the three different suits. Agari: [[Ittsu]] 「一通貫」 May be open (Loses 1 han) This hand has a complete sequence of 1 through 9 of a single suit. As a note, the sequence of 1-9 are actually three groups of sequences numbered 123, 456, and 789. [[Toitoi]] 「対々」 May be open The entire hand is composed of triplets. Agari: or [[Sanankou]] 「三暗刻」 May be open The hand includes three sets of triplets that have been formed without calling any tiles. The fourth set can be an open triplet or sequence. Agari: or [[Sanshoku doukou]] 「三色同刻」 May be open The hand includes three groups of triplets with the same number. Agari: [[Sankantsu]] 「三槓子」 May be open Three kans are called for this hand. Agari: [[Chiitoitsu]] 「七対子」 Closed only This hand is composed of seven pairs. It is one of two exceptions to the standard 4 melds and a pair pattern. Agari: [[Honroutou]] 「混老頭」 May be open (Consider as 4 han †) The hand is composed of nothing but all terminals and honors. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without either chii toitsu or toi toi. Agari: or [[Shousangen]] 「小三元」 May be open (Consider as 4 han †) The hand contains two sets of 3 dragon tiles and a pair of the third dragon tiles. † This hand may be considered as 4 han, because it is impossible to score this hand without two sets of yakuhai, from the two sets of dragons. Agari: or

Three han

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed

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

[[Junchan]] 「純全帯么」 May be open (Loses 1 han)	All sets contain at least one terminal.
	Agari:

[[Ryanpeikou]] 「二盃口」 Closed only	This hand has two sets of "iipeikou". This hand does not combine with chii toitsu, even though the hand can be interpreted as one.
	Agari:

Six han

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed [[Chinitsu]] 「清一色」 May be open (Loses 1 han) This hand is composed entirely of tiles from only one of the three suits. It is the only yaku set at 6 han, where the number drops to 5 han when opened. Agari: or

Yakuman

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed
Kazoe yakuman	数え役満	May be open
This is a special class of yakuman, where a hand is composed of 13+ han based on the combination of above regular yaku and/or dora.
Kokushi musou	国士無双 or 国士無双１３面待ち	Closed only
Agari:
This hand has one of each of the 13 different terminal and honor tiles plus one extra terminal or honour tile. Some rules may allow double yakuman for a 13-wait set.
Suuankou	四暗刻 or 四暗刻単騎	Closed only
Tsumo: or
This hand is composed of four sets of closed triplets. When this hand has a shanpon pattern and the win is via ron, then it would not be counted as suu ankou.
Daisangen	大三元	May be open
Agari:
This has possesses three groups of all the dragons.
Shousuushi	小四喜	May be open
Agari:
This hand has three groups of the wind tiles plus a pair of the fourth kind.
Daisuushi	大四喜	May be open
Agari:
This hand has four groups of all four wind tiles.
Tsuuiisou	字一色	May be open
Agari: or
Every group of tiles are composed of honor tiles.
Chinroutou	清老頭	May be open
Agari: or
Every group of tiles are composed of terminal tiles.
Ryuuiisou	緑一色	May be open
Agari: or
A hand composed entirely of green tiles: 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 Sou and/or Hatsu.
Chuuren poutou	九連宝燈 or 純正九蓮宝燈	Closed only
Agari: Any manzu.
A hand consisting of the tiles 1112345678999 in the same suit plus any one extra tile of the same suit.
Suukantsu	四槓子	May be open
Agari:
This hand with four Kan's.

Initial yakuman

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed
Tenhou	天和	Closed only
The dealer hand is a winning hand even before discarding a tile.
Chiihou	地和	Closed only
The non-dealer hand is a winning hand after the first draw.

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. By default, this hand is set to mangan.

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed
Nagashi mangan	流し満貫	Closed only
All the discards are terminals and/or honors. In addition, none of these discards were called by other players.

Optional

Yaku	Japanese	Open/Closed
Renhou	人和	Closed only
A non-dealer player wins on a discard at the first round. Variance may set this to mangan, or not used at all.

External links

• 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