List of terminology translations

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Mahjong is a game that has effectively crossed the borders of both countries and languages. Given this, many languages have taken liberties in translating terms however they felt like, borrowing from other variants' translations or from other games, with mixed results.

Below is a list aiming to provide a translation of all important mahjong terminology: as such, it will be presented in a lexical order by theme. This list aims not to catalog multiple variants but to present a structured translation consistent in all languages with a sufficient player base. Also, it will not present definitions. Translations that are only indicative are preceded by ***, as the Japanese word has been fully assimilated as a normally used word among players. French and German shall indicate gender and plural as appropriate.

List of terms

Theme Key Japanese[ja 1] Characters English French German
Yaku 10101 Riichi 「立直」 Riichi[en 1] — (Ready hand) [inv.] riichi[fr 1] — ([la] main prête) Riichi[de 1]
Yaku 10102 Ippatsu 「一発」 Ippatsu[en 1] — (One-shot) Ippatsu[fr 1] — ([au] premier tour post-riichi) {de}
Yaku 10103 Menzenchin tsumohou 「門前清自摸和」 Menzen tsumo[en 1] — (All concealed) menzen tsumo[fr 1] — ([la] main cachée) {de}
Yaku 10104 Pinfu 「平和」 Pinfu[en 1] — (Flat hand) [le] pinfu[fr 1] — ([la] main plate) {de}
Yaku 10105 Iipeikou 「一盃口」 Double sequence [la] double séquence {de}
Yaku 10111 Tanyao(chuu) 「断幺九」 Tanyao[en 1] — (Simple hand) [le] tanyao[fr 1] — ([la] main simple) {de}
Yaku 10112 Yakuhai 「役牌」 Value tiles [des] Tuiles de valeur {de}
Yaku 10113 Rinshan kaihou 「嶺上開花」 Rinshan[en 1] — (Win off the replacement tile) [le] rinshan[fr 1] — ([la] victoire sur la tuile de remplacement) {de}
Yaku 10114 Chankan 「搶槓」 Chankan[en 1] — (Robbing the kan) [le] rinshan[fr 1] — ([le] kan volé) {de}
Yaku 10115 Haitei raoyue 「海底撈月」 Last pick [la] dernière pioche {de}
Yaku 10116 Houtei raoyui 「河底撈魚」 Last discard [la] dernière défausse {de}
Yaku 10201 Double riichi 「ダブルリーチ」 Double riichi [le] double riichi {de}
Yaku 10202 Chiitoitsu 「七対子」 Seven pairs sept paires {de}
Yaku 10211 Chanta 「全帯幺九」 Chanta[en 1] — (Mixed terminal hand) [le] chanta[fr 1] — ([la] main de terminales mixte) {de}
Yaku 10212 Sanshoku doujun 「三色同順」 Triple sequence [la] triple séquence {de}
Yaku 10213 Ittsu (Ikkitsuukan) 「一気通貫」　 Straight [le] serpentin {de}
Yaku 10221 Toitoi 「対々」 All triplets tous brelans {de}
Yaku 10222 Sanankou 「三暗刻」 Three concealed triplets trois brelans cachés {de}
Yaku 10223 Sanshoku doukou 「三色同刻」 Triple triplets [le] triple brelan {de}
Yaku 10224 Sankantsu 「三槓子」 Three kans trois carrés {de}
Yaku 10225 Shousangen 「小三元」　 Little three dragons trois petits dragons {de}
Yaku 10226 Honroutou 「混老頭」 Pure terminal hand tous terminales pures {de}
Yaku 10301 Ryanpeikou 「二盃口」 Double double sequence [la] double double séquence {de}
Yaku 10321 Honitsu 「混一色」 Mixed flush [la] couleur mixte {de}
Yaku 10322 Junchan 「純全帯么」 Mixed ends hand [la] main d'extrémités mixte {de}
Yaku 10651 Chinitsu 「清一色」 Pure Flush [la] couleur pure {de}
Yaku 10801 Tenhou 「天和」 Tenhou[en 1] — (Miracle start (dealer)) [le] tenhou[fr 1] — ([le] départ miraculeux (donneur)) {de}
Yaku 10802 Chiihou 「地和」 Chiihou[en 1] — (Miracle start (non-dealer)) [le] chiihou[fr 1] — ([le] départ miraculeux (non-donneur)) {de}
Yaku 10803 Kokushi musou 「国士無双」 Thirteen orphans treize orphelins {de}
Yaku 10804 Chuuren poutou 「九連宝燈」 {en} neuf lanternes {de}
Yaku 10805 Suuankou 「四暗刻」 Four concealed triples quatre brelans cachés {de}
Yaku 10881 Ryuuiisou 「緑一色」 All green [la] main verte {de}
Yaku 10883 Tsuuiisou 「字一色」 All word tiles tous vents et dragons {de}
Yaku 10884 Shousuushi 「小四喜」 Four little winds quatre petits vents {de}
Yaku 10885 Daisuushi 「大四喜」 Four big winds trois grands dragons {de}
Yaku 10886 Chinroutou 「清老頭」 All Ends tous extrémités pures {de}
Yaku 10887 Suukantsu 「四槓子」 Four kans quatre carrés {de}
Yaku 10888 Daisangen 「大三元」 Big three dragons trois grands dragons {de}
Yaku 10901 Renhou 「人和」 Renhou[en 1] — (Miracle discard) [le] renhou[fr 1] — ([l'] écart miraculeux) {de}
Yaku 10991 Nagashi mangan 「流し満貫」 {en} [la] pile fantastique {de}
Yaku 10992 Kazoe yakuman 「数え役満」 Counted yakuman [le] yakuman compté {de}
Basic A 20011 hai / pai 「牌」 Tile(s) [la] tuile [der] Stein(e)
Basic A 20021 yama {fig.} 「山」 Wall [le] mur {de}
Basic A 20022 kabe {lit.} 「壁」
Basic A 20031 ton 「幢」 Stack(s) [le] tas* {de}
Basic A 20041 wanpai 「王牌」 Dead wall [la] réserve [---] Tote Mauer
Basic A 20051 saikoro 🎲 「骰子」 Die (Dice) [le] dé(s) {de}
Basic A 20061 tenbou 「点棒」 Point stick [le] bâtonnet(s) de points {de}
Basic A 20071 haipai 「配牌」 Starting hand [la] main(s) initiale(s) {de}
Basic A 20081 riipai 「理牌」 Hand sorting [le] tri de la main {de}
Basic A 20101 ban 「番」 Turn {to play} {fr} {de}
Basic A 20111 tsumo (n.) 「自摸」 Draw pioche {de}
Basic A 20121 hiku (v.) 「引く」 piger {de}
Basic A 20131 suteru (v.) 「捨てる」 Discard écarter {de}
Basic A 20132 sutehai (n.) 「捨て牌」 écart {de}
Basic A 20141 naku (v.) 「鳴く」 Call appeler {de}
Basic A 20142 fuuro (n.) 「」 réquisition {de}
Basic A 20151 chii 「」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20161 pon 「」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20171 kan 「槓」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20181 tsumo (decl.) 「自摸」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20191 ron (decl.) 「栄」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20201 agari 「和ガリ」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20211 furikomi 「振込」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20221 sashikomi 「差し込み」 Draw {fr} {de}
Basic A 20231 ryuukyoku 「流局」 Exhaustive draw [une] main nulle [---] Abbau-Unentschieden
Basic B 30011 shuntsu 「順子」 {en} [une] séquence {de}
Basic B 30021 koutsu 「刻子」 {en} [un] brelan {de}
Basic B 30031 kantsu 「槓子」 {en} [un] carré — [un] kan {de}
Basic B 30041 toitsu 「対子」 {en} [une] paire {de}
Basic B 30051 taatsu 「」 {en} [un] protogroupe {de}
Basic B 30061 jantou 「雀頭」 {en} [la] paire finale [---] Schlusspaar
Basic B 30071 minjun 「明順」 {en} [une] séquence exposée {de}
Basic B 30081 anjun 「暗順」 {en} [une] séquence cachée {de}
Basic B 30091 minkou 「明刻」 {en} [un] brelan exposé {de}
Basic B 30101 ankou 「暗刻」 {en} [un] brelan caché {de}
Basic B 30111 minkan 「明槓」 {en} [un] carré exposé {de}
Basic B 30121 ankan 「暗槓」 {en} [un] carré caché {de}
Basic B 3*131 shouminkan 「jpKanji」 {en} [un] carré appelé {brelan caché appelé en...} {de}
Basic B 3*141 daiminkan 「jpKanji」 {en} [un] carré complété {brelan exposé augmenté} {de}
Basic B 3*151 kakan 「jpKanji」 {en} {fr} {de}
Basic B 30161 okurikan 「jpKanji」 Four identical tiles [un] ensemble de quatres tuiles identiques {de}
Basic B 30171 ryanmen 「両面」 Side wait {open} attente (ouverte) à deux bords {de}
Basic B 30181 kanchan 「」 Gutter wait {closed} attente (fermée) entre deux {de}
Basic B 30191 penchan 「jpKanji」 Edge wait attente sur le bord {de}
Basic B 30201 tanki 「単騎」 Single wait attente unique {de}
Basic B 30211 shanpon 「」 Two-pair wait attente sur deux paires {de}
Basic D 50001 ii　⚀ 「１」「①」「一」 One un {de}
Basic D 50002 ryan ⚁　 「２」「②」「二」 Two deux {de}
Basic D 50003 san ⚂　 「３」「③」「三」 Three trois {de}
Basic D 50004 suu ⚃　 「４」「④」「四」 Four quatre {de}
Basic D 50005 uu ⚄　 「５」「⑤」「伍」 （五） Five cinq {de}
Basic D 50006 roo ⚅　 「６」「⑥」「六」 Six six {de}
Basic D 50007 chii 「７」「⑦」「七」 Seven sept {de}
Basic D 50008 paa 「８」「⑧」「八」 Eight huit {de}
Basic D 50009 kyuu 「９」「⑨」「九」 Nine neuf {de}
Basic D 50011 ton 「東」 East [l'] est [---] Ost
Basic D 50012 nan 「南」 South [le] sud [---] Süd
Basic D 50013 shaa 「西」 West [l'] ouest [---] West
Basic D 50014 pei 「北」 North [le] nord [---] Nord
Basic D 50021 haku 「白」 White [le] blanc {de}
Basic D 50022 hatsu 「發」 Green {fig.} [le] vert {fig.} {de}
Basic D 50023 chun 「中」 Red {fig.} [le] rouge {fig.} {de}
Basic D 50031 pin(zu) 「筒子」 *** [le] sapèque {de}
Basic D 50032 sou(zu) 「索子」 Bamboo [le] bambou {de}
Basic D 50033 man(zu) 「萬子」 Digit [le] chiffre {de}
Basic D 50034 shoku 「色」 Suit [la] couleur [---] ?Farb(e)
J-101 60001 ichi 「一」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60002 ni 「二」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60003 san 「三」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60004 yon 「四」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60005 go 「伍」 （五）　 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60006 roku 「六」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60007 nana 「七」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60008 hachi 「八」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60009 kyuu 「九」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60010 juu 「十」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60011 hyaku 「百」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60012 sen 「千」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60013 man 「萬」　（万） {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60020 yaku 「役」 Winning condition [une] condition gagnante [---] Gewinnberechtigung
J-101 60022 dora 「ドラ」 Bonus point [un]　point boni [---] Bonusstein
J-101 60022 han 「翻」 {en} {fr} [---] Siegpunkt(e)
J-101 60023 fu 「府」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 60024 ten 「点」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 65001 onegai shimasu 「お願いします」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 65011 arigatou gozaimasu 「ありがとうございます」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69101 (1han 30fu) senten 「千点」 1,000 points 1 000 points 1 000 Punkte
J-101 69104 (1han 30fu) goumii 「ゴーミー」 500/300 points {lit.}
Trash {fig.}		 500 / 300 points {lit.}
Déchets {fig.}		 {de}
J-101 69105 (1han) nomi 「のみ」 "___" only "___" seulement {de}
J-101 69111 (2han 30fu) nisen{ten} 「二千点」 2,000 points 2 000 points 2 000 Punkte
J-101 69114 gottou 「ゴットー」 500/1000 points {lit.} 500 / 1 000 points {lit.} 500 / 1 000 Punkte {lit.}
J-101 69123 niiroku 「ニーロク」 2,600 points 2 600 points 2 600 Punkte
J-101 69124 shichitousan 「シチトーサン」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69133 sannii 「サンニー」 3,200 points 3 200 points 3 200 Punkte
J-101 69142 sen nisen 「千　二千」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69143 zanku {sankyuu} 「ザンク」 3,900 points 3 900 points 3 900 Punkte
J-101 69153 gounii 「ゴーニー」 5,200 points 5 200 points 5 200 Punkte
J-101 69154 ichisan niroku 「イチサン　ニーロク」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69163 rokuyon 「ロクヨン」 6,400 points 6 400 points 6 400 Punkte
J-101 69164 ichiroku sannii 「イチロク　サンニー」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69171 ... 「jpKanji」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69174 nisen zanku 「二千　ザンク」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69181 hassen 「八千」 1,000 points 1 000 points 1 000 Punkte
J-101 69182 nisen yonsen 「二千　四千」 {en} {fr} {de}
J-101 69203 ichigo 「イチゴー」 1,500 points {lit.}
Strawberry {fig.}		 1 500 points {lit.}
Fraise {fig.}		 1 500 Punkte {lit.}
[die] Erdbeere {fig.}
J-101 69213 niikuu 「ニークー」 2,900 points 2 900 points 2 900 Punkte
J-101 69243 goppaa 「ゴーパー」 5,800 points 5 800 points 5 800 Punkte
J-101 69263 kunroku 「クンロク」 9,600 points 9 600 points 9 600 Punkte
J-101 69273 pinpinroku 「ピンピンロク」 11,600 points 11 600 points 11 600 Punkte
J-101 69281 ichiman nisen 「一万二千」 12,000 points 12 000 points 12 000 Punkte
J-101 69303 ichiroku 「イチロク」 16,000 points 16 000 points 16 000 Punkte
J-101 69313 inpachi 「インパチ」 18,000 points 18 000 points 18 000 Punkte
J-101 60001 。　 「。」 {en} {fr} {de}
... 70001 . 「jpKanji」 {en} {fr} {de}
... 80001 . 「jpKanji」 {en} {fr} {de}
... 90001 . 「jpKanji」 {en} {fr} {de}

Table notes

Japanese

  1. ↑ Japanese terms are written when possible with extended vowels, without hyphens or macrons.

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English

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Basic game vocabulary, used as is in English.

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French

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Vocabulaire de base du jeu, utilisé tel quel en français.

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German

  1. ↑ But Miller points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.

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Controversial translation by language

French

Generally, there are two main sources for French terminology: the French Federation of Mah-Jong (FFMJ), and Club Riichi de Montréal (CRM), as well as various authors hailing from the spheres of influence of the two organizations. Some terms may not reflect the words in usage in either area and there is no sustained effort to either harmonize or even officialize the terminology used. While Senechal's point of view is heavily biased towards CRM, the goal is to maintain as much similitude as possible. French has a wide gamut of precise terms to describe more things than in English. The caveats to this are when a translation was poorly done on either end, or if a non-riichi version of mahjong introduces a term conflicting with Japanese mahjong.

Pinzu: Cercle versus sapèque

Pinzu have been referred to as "cercles" by the Réunion Federation of Mah-Jong (FRMJ), a sub-group of the FFMJ, as well as in books by Stéphane Parcollet. Everyone can understand that circles are round. The problem lies in the fact that circles are monolinear abstract objects, whereas the concrete objects represented are coins used in China, with holes in them. Whereas the English term for them (cash) has not caught on, the French language has the term sapèque, which is quite precise, unambiguous, and does not raise eyebrows related to anti-gambling prejudice like cash would in English.

As cercles would cause a shorthand conflict with caractères or chiffres (see below), it also poorly serves a disambiguative purpose.

Ruling: Use sapèque, never cercle (imprecise).

Manzu: Caractère versus chiffre, nombre

The word characters is a poor choice in any language, as Asian languages use characters for everything. Mahjong tiles themselves have 15 different tiles (from the base 34 types) that have Chinese characters on them. This leads to a lot of confusion with character, number, digit and word. All tiles from 1 to 9 (108 tiles) are called suupai (number tiles), and all other tiles (28 tiles) represent winds and dragons, called jihai (word tiles). But if words on word tiles are characters, then why call anything characters?

Note: TBD in English.

Ruling: Use chiffre in French, not caractère (imprecise) nor nombre (other use).

Cross-language issues

Pinzu versus Tonzu

The cash coins represented on mahjong tiles would be accurately described as tonzu. However, many areas in China, as well as the people who helped disseminate mahjong in Japan were using the term pinzu, representing barrels as opposed to coins. In the western world, there is no clear term used: circles and dots in English, cercles and sapèques in French, etc. While standardizing to one word per language serves a purpose, forcefully aligning every language to a singular concept may not be beneficial.

Ruling: pinzu in Japanese, sapèque in French, TBD in English.

Souzu versus Bamboo

Souzu in Japanese represents what it does in Chinese: string stacks of coins, representing 100 coins per stack. It in no way means bamboo (it's not called chikuzu), but as it has garnered overwhelming traction in all languages even by people uninterested in mahjong, it would be pointless to change a term that has garnered more acceptance than the game itself.

Terminals versus Ends

There is a dispute as whether to use terminals or ends for the terms yaochuuhai and routouhai. In English and French, the logic that applies is that a terminal must be at the start, finish, or sole point in a line, whereas an end must be at the start or finish of a non-zero length line. In German, there is an expression, "Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei". It is important to consider the three suits (die Farbe) as being the sausage here.

Ruling: Yaochuuhai, even if it says "1-9-tiles" in Japanese and Chinese, means all of ones, nines, winds and dragons: it is thus translated as terminals.
Routouhai refers specifically to ones and nines exclusively: both honroutou and chinroutou require that consistency be kept among the terms (and tsuuiisou requires none), and thus, it should be translated as ends.

Notes

External links

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