Junchan

Junchan

Quick Definition

Junchan (純全帯么子) is a 3-han closed hand or 2-han open hand yaku where every meld and the pair must contain at least one terminal tile (1 or 9). Honor tiles are not permitted in any meld.

Detailed Explanation

Junchan, meaning “pure outside hand,” is one of the more restrictive terminal-based yaku in mahjong. To achieve this yaku, you must construct your hand so that every component—whether it’s a pung, kong, chow, or the pair—includes at least one terminal tile (the 1 or 9 of any suit).

Key Requirements

Terminal Tiles Only: Your hand cannot contain any honor tiles (winds or dragons). This distinguishes junchan from chanta, which allows honor tiles. Every meld must feature a 1 or 9, and your pair must also be composed of terminal tiles.

Valid Melds for Junchan:

• Pungs/Kongs: 111, 999, 11, 99
• Chows: 123, 789 (these contain the terminal 1 or 9)
• Pair: 11, 99 (must be terminals)

Invalid Components:

• Any honor tile (winds or dragons)
• Chows like 234, 345, 456, 567 (no terminals)
• Melds containing only middle tiles

Hand Value

Junchan is worth 3 han when closed (self-drawn completion). If you win through discard or if any meld is open (called/melded from another player’s discard), the hand drops to 2 han. This reduction reflects the slightly easier achievement when melds are declared openly.

Difficulty and Strategy

Junchan is considered a moderately difficult yaku to complete because it severely restricts which tiles you can use. You’re essentially building around a limited palette—only 1s and 9s from three suits, plus their combinations. This makes it slower to form than yaku like tanyao (all simples) or chanta (outside hand with honors).

Players typically pursue junchan when they draw favorable terminal tiles early and can commit to the pattern. It’s often combined with other yaku like tanyao (if building all simples with terminals), or stands alone as a respectable mid-level hand.

Usage Example

Winning Hand:

• Melds: 111m, 789p, 99s, 123m
• Pair: 99m
• Result: Junchan (3 han, closed)

Each meld contains at least one terminal (1 or 9), and the pair is terminals. No honor tiles are present.

Invalid Example:

• Melds: 111m, 789p, 55z, 123m
• Pair: 99m
• Result: Not junchan (contains honor tile 55z)

Even though most melds are valid, the inclusion of honor tiles disqualifies the hand.

Related Terms

Chanta (Honoring Terminal Hand): Similar to junchan but allows honor tiles in melds. Worth 2 han closed or 1 han open. Less restrictive than junchan.

Terminal (Yaochuuhai): The 1 and 9 tiles of each suit, plus honor tiles. In junchan, only suit terminals (1m-9m, 1p-9p, 1s-9s) are permitted.

Yaku: The hand patterns that determine winning combinations and their point values. Junchan is one of many standard yaku.

Honor Tiles (Jihai): Winds (East, South, West, North) and dragons (White, Green, Red). Explicitly forbidden in junchan hands.

Meld (Mentsu): A set of three tiles forming a pung, kong, or chow. Each meld in junchan must contain a terminal.

Pair (Toitsu): Two identical tiles. In junchan, the pair must be terminal tiles (11 or 99).

Riichi (Ready Hand): A declaration made when your hand is one tile away from winning. Junchan hands can be declared riichi for additional han and scoring bonuses.