Departments
Intermediate Japanese - Free Online Course
MĀJAN
麻雀
mahjong
Mahjong is popular game that was introduced to Japan by visitors from China during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). This indoor game is normally played by four players, with a game table and 136 small tiles called pai that contain characters and images.
At the beginning of the game, each player receives an allotment of 13 pai. The remaining tiles are placed facedown on the surface of the game table. The game progresses as the players pick up pai and match them to the tiles they already hold to form certain combinations. Points are tallied based on the combinations that each player holds.
Mahjong is especially popular among college students. Their games often involve small wagers.
