Cantonese Mahjong Phrases You Should Know
Half the fun of playing Hong Kong Mahjong is the table talk. Knowing the Cantonese phrases doesn’t just help you understand what’s happening — it makes the whole experience more authentic and enjoyable. Here are the essential phrases every mahjong player should know.
Winning and Losing
食糊 (Sik Wu)
Meaning: “I win!” (by claiming a discard) When to use: Call this out when you complete your hand by claiming another player’s discard. This is the most common winning call.
自摸 (Ji Mo)
Meaning: “Self-drawn win!” When to use: Call this when you draw the winning tile yourself from the wall. This earns you extra faan and means all three opponents pay. Learn more about the self-drawn win vs discard win distinction.
糊 (Wu)
Meaning: A winning hand Context: The general term for a completed, valid winning hand. “Keui wu zo” (佢糊咗) means “they won.”
出銃 (Cheut Chung)
Meaning: “Shot the cannon” — being the shooter Context: The player who discards the tile that lets someone win. Nobody wants to be the cheut chung player.
流局 (Lau Guk)
Meaning: A draw — nobody won When it happens: All tiles in the wall have been drawn with no winner. The round ends with no payment.
During Gameplay
碰 (Pung)
Meaning: “I’m claiming that for a pung!” When to use: Call this immediately when someone discards a tile you need to complete a set of three identical tiles. You can claim from any player.
槓 (Gong)
Meaning: “Kong!” When to use: Declare this when you have four identical tiles and want to form a kong, or when claiming a fourth tile from a discard.
上 (Seung)
Meaning: “I’m claiming that for a chow!” When to use: Call this when the player to your left discards a tile you need for a sequence. You can only claim chows from the player directly before you in turn order.
打 (Daa)
Meaning: “Discard” or “play” Context: “Daa mat ye?” (打乜嘢?) means “What did they discard?” or “What are you discarding?”
摸 (Mo)
Meaning: “Draw” (a tile from the wall) Context: The basic action of drawing a tile on your turn. “Mo pai” (摸牌) = draw a tile.
聽牌 (Ting Paai)
Meaning: “Ready” — one tile away from winning Context: When you need just one more tile to complete your hand. You’re “ting” (聽) or “waiting.”
Scoring Terms
番 (Faan)
Meaning: The scoring unit Context: “Gei do faan?” (幾多番?) = “How many faan?” The question everyone asks after someone wins.
滿貫 (Mun Gun)
Meaning: Maximum / Limit hand Context: When a hand reaches the maximum faan cap. “Mun gun la!” = “It’s a limit hand!”
雞糊 (Gai Wu)
Meaning: Chicken hand — zero faan Context: The most basic possible win with no scoring patterns. Whether it counts depends on house rules.
清一色 (Ching Yat Sik)
Meaning: Full Flush — one suit only Context: One of the most satisfying calls. Worth 7 faan and always gets a reaction.
混一色 (Wan Yat Sik)
Meaning: Mixed One Suit — one suit plus honors Context: The reliable 3-faan hand that’s the backbone of most winning strategies.
對對和 (Deui Deui Wu)
Meaning: All Pungs — all sets are triplets Context: Worth 3 faan. “Deui deui” is often used casually to describe this hand.
Table Talk and Reactions
食得未？ (Sik Dak Mei?)
Meaning: “Can you win yet?” Context: Teasing question asked when someone seems close. Can also be genuine curiosity.
好牌 (Hou Paai)
Meaning: “Good tiles” / “Good hand” Context: Complimenting someone’s winning hand, or expressing envy about their starting draw.
爛牌 (Laan Paai)
Meaning: “Bad tiles” / “Terrible hand” Context: Lamenting your own poor starting hand. A universal mahjong complaint.
快啲啦 (Faai Di La)
Meaning: “Hurry up!” Context: Gentle (or not so gentle) nudge when someone is taking too long on their turn.
唔好意思 (M Hou Yi Si)
Meaning: “Sorry” / “Excuse me” Context: Apologetic phrase used when you win a big hand, or when you accidentally reveal a tile.
恭喜 (Gung Hei)
Meaning: “Congratulations” Context: Said to the winner, sometimes sarcastically when they win a particularly devastating hand against you.
大佬 (Daai Lou)
Meaning: “Big boss” / “Come on, man” Context: Exasperated expression when someone does something dramatic, like winning a limit hand or shooting you with a big discard.
Superstitions and Expressions
旺 (Wong)
Meaning: “Hot” / “On a streak” Context: “Keui hou wong” (佢好旺) = “They’re on a hot streak.” Said about a player who keeps winning.
衰 (Seui)
Meaning: “Unlucky” / “Cold” Context: The opposite of wong. When nothing goes your way.
執生 (Jap Saang)
Meaning: “Figure it out” / “Improvise” Context: What you tell yourself when your starting hand is mediocre and you need to make the best of it.
忍手 (Yan Sau)
Meaning: “Hold back” / “Exercise restraint” Context: The discipline of not claiming a discard even though you could, because revealing your hand would be strategically bad.
Quick Reference Table
| Cantonese | Jyutping | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 食糊 | Sik Wu | Win (discard) |
| 自摸 | Ji Mo | Win (self-drawn) |
| 碰 | Pung | Claim for triplet |
| 槓 | Gong | Declare kong |
| 上 | Seung | Claim for sequence |
| 打 | Daa | Discard |
| 摸 | Mo | Draw a tile |
| 番 | Faan | Scoring unit |
| 聽牌 | Ting Paai | Ready/waiting |
| 好牌 | Hou Paai | Good tiles |
| 爛牌 | Laan Paai | Bad tiles |
| 出銃 | Cheut Chung | Shooter |
| 流局 | Lau Guk | Draw/no winner |
| 快啲啦 | Faai Di La | Hurry up |
FAQ
Do I need to speak Cantonese to play Hong Kong Mahjong?
Not at all. Many players use English equivalents or just the basic calls (pung, kong, wu). But knowing the Cantonese adds authenticity and helps you understand what’s happening at tables where Cantonese is spoken.
How do I pronounce the tones correctly?
Cantonese is a tonal language with six tones, which makes pronunciation tricky. For mahjong purposes, the key words (pung, gong, wu, faan) are understood regardless of tonal accuracy. Native speakers will know what you mean from context.
Are these terms used in other Chinese dialects?
The Mandarin equivalents exist but are pronounced differently. For example, 自摸 is “zi mo” in both Cantonese and Mandarin, but the tones differ. 碰 is “peng” in Mandarin vs “pung” in Cantonese. The written characters are the same.
Will using these phrases impress my Cantonese-speaking friends?
Absolutely. Even using basic terms like “sik wu” instead of “I win” shows respect for the game’s cultural roots and usually gets a smile from the table.
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