American Mah Jongg
A distinct American form commonly played with an annual card, a Charleston, racks, and jokers.
The beginner glossary.
Table language, translated. You do not need to study this list. Keep it nearby and look up a word when it becomes useful.
Bam
The American name for the bamboo suit. The one Bam often shows a bird.
Call
To claim another player’s discard when the rules allow it.
Card
The current annual list of valid hands used in NMJL-style American play.
Charleston
The pre-play sequence in which players pass groups of three tiles in prescribed directions.
Concealed
A card hand that restricts ordinary exposures; follow the current governing rules for its winning tile.
Crak
The American name for the characters or “ten-thousands” suit.
Discard
A tile placed face up after a turn and named clearly.
Dots
The numbered suit shown with circles.
Exposure
A completed group placed face up on the rack, usually after calling a discard.
Flowers
Eight tiles generally treated as interchangeable flowers in current American play.
Honors
A broad term commonly referring to winds and dragons.
Joker
A restricted wild tile usable in qualifying groups, but not for singles or pairs.
Kong
A group of four identical tiles.
Mah Jongg
A declaration that the player has completed a valid winning hand.
Pair
Two identical tiles. Jokers cannot substitute in a pair.
Pung
A group of three identical tiles.
Rack
The holder used for a player’s tiles and exposed groups.
Soap
The common American nickname for the White Dragon.
Wall
A double-high row of tiles built before play; four walls form the center square.
Winds
East, South, West, and North tiles.
Rule boundary: These definitions describe NMJL-derived American play. Other mahjong traditions may use the same word differently—or not use it at all.