The Wind tiles (N, E, W, S)

American mahjong has four Winds: North, East, West and South, four of each, 16 tiles. Most sets print the letter N, E, W or S in the corner beside the Chinese character. The card often groups them as NEWS.

• Look for the corner letter: N, E, W, S.
• Four of each wind: 16 tiles.
• Winds are not part of any suit.

Each tile

North Wind · East Wind · West Wind · South Wind

Watch the tiles lesson · Practise naming tiles

Common questions

Are winds a suit in mahjong?

No. Winds are separate tiles that don't belong to any suit.

What do the letters on the wind tiles mean?

N, E, W and S: North, East, West and South.

Does the East wind matter?

The East tile is just a wind in your hand. The player seated as East is the dealer and starts with 14 tiles.

Other tiles

Bams · Craks · Dots · Dragons · Flowers & Jokers