Pung, Kong, and Quint in American Mahjong

American Mahjong hands are recipes of pungs, kongs, quints, pairs, and singles. If you only remember “three of a kind,” you will miss the kong replacement and you will try to call a pair. Learn the three exposures first.

The three sets

• Pung: three identical tiles. You may call the most recent discard to complete one and expose it.
• Kong: four identical tiles. Calling a discard for a kong leaves you short, so you take a replacement from the back of the wall.
• Quint: five of a kind. On a standard card this almost always needs at least one joker. You cannot call a discard for a quint unless the table’s card and house rules allow that exposure.

Pairs and singles stay quiet

A pair is two identical tiles. You do not call a discard to complete a pair except to declare mahjong. Singles are even quieter. Jokers cannot fill a pair or a single unless the card prints a rare exception. When in doubt, keep the discard moving.

• Table-side rules →
• Where jokers fit →