Blog
Guides, tips, and everything you need to know about Hong Kong Mahjong scoring.
Hong Kong Mahjong Limit Hands: The Complete Guide
All 7 Hong Kong Mahjong limit hands: Eighteen Arhats, Nine Gates, Great Dragons, Great Winds and the rest, with what each needs and what it pays.
Seven Pairs (七對子): How to Win Hong Kong Mahjong with Nothing but Pairs
Seven Pairs (七對子) is a 4-faan Hong Kong Mahjong hand of seven matched pairs and no melds. The rules, the duplicate-pairs debate, and when to chase it.
Why You Need a Digital Mahjong Scorekeeper (and What TileBuddy Does)
Manual mahjong scoring kills momentum, breeds disputes and blocks beginners. What a digital scorekeeper solves, and what TileBuddy gets right.
Concealed Hand (門前清): The 1-Faan Bonus for Winning Without Open Melds
A concealed hand (門前清) pays 1 extra faan for winning with every set hidden. What breaks the bonus, and how it stacks with a self-draw.
Common Hand (平糊): Mastering the All-Chows Pattern in Hong Kong Mahjong
The Common Hand (平糊) is a 1-faan Hong Kong Mahjong pattern built entirely from chows. What it needs, how it stacks, and when to chase it.
Small Three Dragons (小三元): How to Score This 5-Faan Hand in Hong Kong Mahjong
Small Three Dragons (小三元) pays 5 faan for pungs of two dragons plus a pair of the third. One of the most achievable high-value hands at the table.
All Triplets (Dui Dui Hu): Hong Kong Mahjong's Reliable 3-Faan Hand
How to build All Triplets (對對糊) in Hong Kong Mahjong, what the 3 faan is worth, and how it stacks with the other scoring patterns.
Full Flush (清一色): How to Score This 7-Faan Hand in Hong Kong Mahjong
How to build and score Full Flush (清一色) in Hong Kong Mahjong: the 7-faan value, what it stacks with, and how to defend against it.
How AI Tile Scanning Works in TileBuddy
A behind-the-scenes look at how TileBuddy uses AI and the Gemini API to recognize mahjong tiles from photos and calculate faan instantly.
Best Mahjong Scoring Apps 2026
A comparison of five mahjong scoring apps on the App Store in 2026, covering which rules each one scores, tile scanning, session tracking and multiplayer.
Mahjong Night: How to Host the Perfect Game Night
Everything you need to host an amazing mahjong game night, from supplies and setup to food, house rules, and keeping the energy going.
Cantonese Mahjong Phrases and What They Mean
Sik wu (食糊) means "I win" in Hong Kong Mahjong. Plus plain-English meanings for zi mo, pung and 20 more phrases you will hear at the table.
Hong Kong vs Taiwanese Mahjong: Key Differences
Compare Hong Kong and Taiwanese Mahjong rules, scoring systems, tile sets, and gameplay differences to understand each variant.
Hong Kong vs Japanese Riichi Mahjong: Key Differences
Riichi (Japanese) and Chinese mahjong side by side: tiles, scoring (han and yaku against faan), and which rules actually differ.
How to Play Faster Without Making Scoring Errors
Speed up your Hong Kong Mahjong games while maintaining scoring accuracy. Tips for faster play, quicker scoring, and eliminating common errors.
How to Read Discards: Defensive Play Strategy
Master the art of reading discards in Hong Kong Mahjong to predict opponents' hands, play defensively, and avoid being the shooter.
10 Tips to Win More at Hong Kong Mahjong
Practical strategy tips for Hong Kong Mahjong that will help you win more often, score higher faan, and make fewer costly mistakes.
Common Beginner Mistakes in Mahjong (and How to Avoid Them)
Avoid the most common beginner mistakes in Hong Kong Mahjong. Learn what new players get wrong about discards, claiming, scoring, and strategy.
Thirteen Orphans: The Hardest Hand in Mahjong
The Thirteen Orphans hand in Hong Kong Mahjong: what it is, the odds against it, how to play for it, and why it is the ultimate achievement.
Mixed One Suit vs Full Flush: Which to Aim For
Mixed One Suit (3 faan) against Full Flush (7 faan): when to aim for each, and how to move between them part way through a hand.
Classic vs New 6 vs New 18 Hand Sets: Which to Play
Understand the differences between Classic, New 6, and New 18 hand sets in Hong Kong Mahjong, and learn which set is right for your group.
Complete Faan Guide: Every Hong Kong Mahjong Hand Explained
Faan (番) decide what a Hong Kong Mahjong hand pays. Look up every hand, from 1-faan commons to limit hands, across Classic, New 6 and New 18.
Dragon Tiles in Mahjong: Why They Matter for Scoring
Learn how Red, Green, and White Dragon tiles work in Hong Kong Mahjong, their faan values, and the powerful Big Three Dragons hand.
Understanding Wind Tiles: Seat Wind vs Round Wind
How wind tiles work in Hong Kong Mahjong, including the difference between seat wind and round wind, and how they affect scoring.
Flower and Season Tiles: Bonus Points Explained
Learn how flower and season tiles work in Hong Kong Mahjong, how they score bonus faan, and which tiles match your seat position.
Mahjong Payment Calculator: How to Settle Up After a Game
Learn how to calculate mahjong payouts using base units, faan values, and multipliers. Includes examples and a quick reference table.
Self-Drawn Win vs Discard Win: How Payouts Differ
Understand how self-drawn wins and discard wins affect payouts in Hong Kong Mahjong, including who pays and how much.
What is the Maximum Faan in Hong Kong Mahjong?
Learn about the maximum faan in Hong Kong Mahjong, including limit hands worth 10 or 13 faan, and which rare hands can get you there.
Chicken Hand Explained: What It Is and When to Use It
A chicken hand (雞糊, gai wu) is a mahjong win worth zero faan. Why tables argue about it, the usual house rules, and how to avoid ending up with one.
How to Score Hong Kong Mahjong: A Complete Beginner's Guide
How Hong Kong Mahjong scoring works, from counting faan to settling payments. Everything you need to keep score at your next game.
Mahjong Terminology Glossary: Every Term Explained
Every Hong Kong Mahjong term in Cantonese and English, A–Z: sik wu (食糊), faan, pung, chow, honor tiles and the rest. Look up what a word means mid-game.
What Do Mahjong Tiles Mean? Symbols Decoded
Discover the cultural meanings behind mahjong tile designs, from bamboo sticks and dot coins to wind symbols, dragon characters, and flower artwork.
All 42 Mahjong Tiles Explained: A Visual Guide for Beginners
Every tile in a Hong Kong Mahjong set: suits, honours, flowers and seasons. What each one means, and how it is used in the game.
Hong Kong Mahjong Rules for Complete Beginners
New to Hong Kong Mahjong? A step-by-step guide to the full rules: tiles, sets, turns and how to win, so you can play your first game today.
Mahjong vs Mahjong Solitaire: What's the Difference?
Mahjong and Mahjong Solitaire are completely different games that share the same tiles. Learn what makes each unique and why the confusion exists.
The History of Mahjong: From China to the World
Trace the fascinating history of mahjong from its origins in 19th century China to its spread across Asia, America, and the world.
What is Mahjong? A Simple Explanation
A beginner-friendly explanation of what mahjong is, how it works, and why millions of people around the world love playing this classic tile game.