Scoring is what transforms Mahjong from a simple tile-matching exercise into a game of genuine strategic depth. Knowing which hand elements earn points — and how much — shapes every decision you make from the first discard to the final claim.
This guide covers Hong Kong Mahjong scoring in full. If you are new to Mahjong, read how to play Mahjong first.
The Faan System
Hong Kong Mahjong scoring is built on faan (番) — a point unit. Each scoring element in your winning hand contributes one or more faan. More faan means higher payment.
Two scoring structures are commonly used:
Doubling System (most common)
Each faan doubles the base payment. If the group plays at $1 per faan:
- 1 faan = $1
- 2 faan = $2
- 3 faan = $4
- 4 faan = $8
- 5 faan = $16
- 6 faan = $32
- 7 faan = $64
- 8+ faan = Limit
Flat Chart System
Each faan total maps to a fixed payment amount from a pre-agreed table. Less exponential, more predictable. Common in casual or family play.
Whatever system your group uses, confirm it before the first hand. Stakes and structure vary widely.
Scoring Elements: What Earns Faan
Base Win Elements
| Element | Faan | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Win by self-draw (Zimo) | 1 | Drawn the winning tile from the wall |
| Fully concealed self-draw | 1 | No melded sets, won by self-draw |
| All chows, discard win | 1 | Four chows + non-seat-wind pair, won by discard |
| Last tile from wall | 1 | Won on the very last drawable tile |
| Last tile by discard | 1 | Won on the discard of the last drawable tile |
| Kong replacement win | 1 | Won on the replacement tile drawn after a kong |
| Robbing a kong | 1 | Won by stealing the tile from another player’s added kong |
Honour Tile Elements
| Element | Faan | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon pung | 1 | Pung of any dragon (Red, Green, White) |
| Seat wind pung | 1 | Pung of your assigned seat wind |
| Round wind pung | 1 | Pung of the current round wind |
| Double wind pung | 2 | Pung of a tile that is both your seat wind and round wind |
Suit and Structure Elements
| Element | Faan | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| All simples (Duan Yao) | 1 | No terminals (1s/9s), no honours |
| Mixed one suit (Half Flush) | 3 | One suit + honour tiles only |
| Pure one suit (Full Flush) | 7 | One suit only, no honours |
| All pungs (Toitoi equivalent) | 3 | Four pungs/kongs + one pair, no chows |
| Mixed terminals and honours | 4 | Only terminals (1s/9s) and honour tiles |
| Seven pairs | 4–7 | Seven pairs (rule sets vary on this value) |
Bonus Tiles
| Element | Faan | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Each Flower or Season tile | 1 | Per bonus tile held at win |
| Own-seat bonus tile | 1 extra | Flower/Season matching your seat number |
| All four Flowers | Limit or 4 | All four Flower tiles (rule sets vary) |
| All four Seasons | Limit or 4 | All four Season tiles (rule sets vary) |
Limit Hands
Limit hands pay the maximum regardless of further calculation. In a $1-per-faan doubling game with an 8-faan limit, the limit might be set at $128 per player.
| Hand | Description |
|---|---|
| Heavenly Hand (天糊) | Dealer wins on their initial 14-tile deal |
| Earthly Hand (地糊) | Non-dealer wins on dealer’s first discard |
| Thirteen Orphans (十三幺) | One of each terminal and honour, plus one duplicate |
| Three Great Scholars (三元牌) | Pungs of all three dragons |
| Four Great Blessings (四喜臨門) | Pungs of all four winds |
| All Honours | Only wind and dragon pungs + pair |
| All Kongs (十八羅漢) | Four kongs + pair |
| Pure One Suit (with pungs only) | All tiles in one suit, all pungs — often classified limit |
Payment Structure
Discard Win
When you win on another player’s discard:
- The discarder pays you the full hand value
- The other two non-winning players pay nothing
Exception: In some rule sets, all three players pay when you win by discard with an all-chow concealed hand (a rule designed to penalise overly conservative play).
Self-Draw Win (Zimo)
When you draw your own winning tile from the wall:
- All three other players each pay you the full hand value
This is why self-draw wins earn dramatically more than discard wins — three payments instead of one.
Dealer Rules
When the dealer wins:
- Every player pays double the standard amount (or the dealer collects double per player — same result)
When a non-dealer wins by discard from the dealer:
- The dealer pays double while the other non-winning player pays standard
- Or in some rule sets: the discarder (whoever they are) pays double and the others pay nothing — confirm your house rules
When the dealer wins by self-draw:
- All three players each pay double
Worked Scoring Example
Winning hand:
- Pung of Red Dragon (exposed)
- Pung of 3-Bamboo (concealed)
- Chow of 4-5-6 Bamboo (concealed)
- Chow of 7-8-9 Bamboo (concealed)
- Pair of 2-Bamboo
Won by self-draw. The hand is mixed one suit (all Bamboo, no honours except the Red Dragon pung… wait, Red Dragon is an honour, so this is a mixed suit hand).
Scoring breakdown:
- Mixed one suit (Bamboo + one dragon honour): 3 faan
- Dragon pung (Red Dragon): 1 faan
- Self-draw: 1 faan
Total: 5 faan
In a doubling system at a $1 base:
5 faan = $1 × 2⁴ = $16 per player × 3 players = $48 total
If this player is the dealer, each player pays double: $32 × 3 = $96 total.
Minimum Hand Requirement
Many Hong Kong rule sets require a minimum of 3 faan to win. A hand that meets the structural requirement but scores fewer than 3 faan is a chicken hand (雞糊) and cannot win in those rule sets. The player who declared it typically pays each other player a small penalty.
A chicken hand can still happen by accident — building a valid four-sets-one-pair hand entirely of simples in mixed suits, won by discard, earns only 0 faan by default (all-chow discard win earns 0 unless you add the “all-chow discard” bonus, which is 1 faan). Know your house rules.
Quick Strategy Takeaways
Chase high-value elements early. If you can steer your hand toward mixed suit (3 faan) or pure suit (7 faan) from the start, the faan payoff justifies the extra difficulty.
Self-draw wins are worth 3× discard wins. A hand that pays $8 by discard pays $24 by self-draw (all three players pay). Keeping your hand concealed to maximise self-draw chances is often the right strategic choice.
Dragon and wind pungs are easy value. A dragon pung earns 1 faan for minimal sacrifice — hold your dragons longer than you hold simples.
Limit hands change the game. If you are dealt tiles pointing toward Thirteen Orphans or Three Great Scholars, the limit payoff may justify a high-risk pursuit.
Learn these concepts, then practice them in a live game at Mahjo — the scoring is calculated automatically so you can focus on learning which hand elements actually earn you points.