Tile types
There are many different types of tiles. These categories are relevant to certain yaku and for fu scoring.
Simple
Tiles numbered from 2-8 are classed as chunchanhai 「中張牌」, or "simples". These include:
They are:
Terminal
Tiles numbered 1 or 9 are classed as routouhai 「老頭牌」, or "terminals" in English. They are called "terminals" because they are always the end of a sequence; a tile group such as 9-1-2 is not a valid sequence. These include:
They are:
Honor
Tiles that are not numbered, i.e. the wind and dragon tiles, are called jihai, or honor tiles in English.
Winds: 
Dragons: 
They are:
- Used for tsuuiisou ("All Honors"). Along with terminals, they are also important for chanta and honroutou.
- Not allowed to be used with tanyao, junchan, chinitsu, or chinroutou.
- Worth doubled fu when used in a triplet or kan.
Yakuhai
The yakuhai (lit. "value tiles") are a subset of honor tiles. The yakuhai are not consistent - which tiles are yakuhai will depend on what round and seat you are in.
- Dragons are always yakuhai.
- Wind tiles of the round wind (e.g. East tiles during East round) are yakuhai.
- Wind tiles of the seat wind (e.g. West tiles as the West seat) are yakuhai.
They are:
- Used for the yaku of "yakuhai" - a triplet of yakuhai is a yaku of its own.
- Worth 2 fu when used as the pair (a yakuhai pair thus disqualifies a hand from pinfu).
- If the pair is both the round wind and seat wind, it may be worth 4 fu (subject to rule variation).
Non-Simple
Yaochuuhai 「幺九牌」, or "non-simples", refers to both terminal and honor tiles. In other words, if a tile is not numbered from 2-8, then it is a non-simple.
Terminals:
Winds:
Dragons:
They are, collectively:
- Used for kokushi musou, chanta and honroutou, as well as nagashi mangan.
- Not allowed to be used with tanyao.
- Worth doubled fu when used in a triplet or kan.