How many tiles are in a mahjong set?
A standard American mahjong game uses 152 tiles. Most sets sold for it have 160 or 166, and the extra tiles are spares you set aside.
Checked and updated October 31, 2026
The 152 tiles of a standard game
| Tile | How many | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dots, bams and craks | 108 | 3 suits × 9 numbers × 4 copies |
| Winds | 16 | North, East, West, South × 4 |
| Dragons | 12 | Red, green, white × 4 |
| Flowers | 8 | All count as the same tile |
| Jokers | 8 | Stand in for tiles in groups of 3 or more |
| Total | 152 |
Those 152 tiles make four walls of 19 stacks, two high: 38 tiles in front of each player. See how to set up and deal.
Why sets have 160 or 166 tiles
- 160 tiles usually means 152 plus 2 extra jokers and 6 blanks. This is common in designer sets.
- 166 tiles usually means 152 plus 8 extra flowers, 2 extra jokers and 4 blanks. This is common in starter sets.
Either works. What matters is that you have at least 8 jokers and 8 flowers. Here is how the sets we track break down, from their published listings:
How other mahjong sets compare
| Style | Usual tiles | Jokers | Can you play American with it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| American | 152 played; sets of 160 or 166 | 8 or more | Yes |
| Chinese / Hong Kong | 144 (136 without flowers) | None | Not as is. Converting a Chinese set |
| Japanese riichi | 136, no flowers | None | No |
Regional sets vary. Count your own set rather than trusting a box label.
How many tiles you hold
- You start with 13 tiles. East starts with 14.
- On each turn you take one tile and discard one, so you are back to 13.
- A winning hand has 14 tiles, matching one hand on the current card.
Missing tiles?
Lay the set out by kind and count each pile against the table above. A missing suit tile can be replaced with a blank (mark it clearly). If you are short of jokers, joker stickers on blanks can make up the difference. The set checker walks you through it.
Common questions
How many tiles are in an American mahjong set?
A standard American game uses 152 tiles. Sets are usually sold with 160 or 166 tiles because they include spare flowers and blanks.
How many jokers are in American mahjong?
A standard game uses 8 jokers. Many sets include 10, giving you two spares.
How many flowers are in American mahjong?
A standard game uses 8 flowers. Some 166-tile sets include 16 flowers; you only play with 8.
How many blanks are in a mahjong set?
Usually 4 to 6. Blanks are spares and are not used in a standard game.
How many tiles does each player get?
Each player starts with 13 tiles. East, the dealer, starts with 14 and discards first. A winning hand has 14 tiles.
How many tiles are in a Chinese mahjong set?
Usually 144: 108 suit tiles, 16 winds, 12 dragons and 8 flowers and seasons, with no jokers. Without flowers it is 136.
How many tiles are in each wall?
In American mahjong each player builds a wall 19 tiles long and two high, which is 38 tiles. Four walls make 152.
Sources: Wikipedia: American mahjong; set listings linked on each set page; The Mahjong Line, American Mahjong 101 (walls of 19 tiles, two high).