Kazehai

Definition

Kazehai (風牌) are wind tiles—four honor tiles in mahjong representing the cardinal directions: East (東), South (南), West (西), and North (北). Each wind tile is worth one point as yakuhai (scoring pattern) when it matches either your seat wind or the prevailing round wind.

Detailed Explanation

Kazehai form one of two categories within the honor tiles (jihai), alongside dragon tiles (sangenpai). The four wind tiles are fundamental to mahjong’s scoring system and game mechanics.

The Four Winds

Each wind corresponds to a cardinal direction and a player position:

• East (東/Ton): Associated with the dealer position and typically the first round wind
• South (南/Nan): Second position, clockwise from East
• West (西/Shaa): Third position, opposite East
• North (北/Pei): Fourth position, opposite South

Yakuhai Scoring

Kazehai contribute to yakuhai scoring in two ways:

Seat Wind (Jikaze): If a wind tile matches your assigned seat position, you earn one yakuhai point when you complete a pung (three identical tiles) or kong (four identical tiles) with that wind.

Round Wind (Bakuze): If a wind tile matches the current round’s prevailing wind, any player earns one yakuhai point for a pung or kong with that wind, regardless of seat position.

A single wind tile can be worth two yakuhai simultaneously if it matches both your seat wind and the round wind—a condition called “double wind” or “wind doubled” (kazehai double).

Strategic Importance

Wind tiles are easier to complete than other honor tiles because:

1. They appear frequently in discards (players often discard winds early)
2. They’re valuable for building simpler hands when number tile combinations are difficult
3. They guarantee at least one yakuhai point if you can form a pung or kong

Conversely, holding wind tiles that match neither your seat nor the round wind is generally inefficient, as they contribute nothing to your score.

Distribution and Probability

Like all tile types, there are four copies of each wind tile in a standard 136-tile deck. This makes wind tiles slightly more accessible for completion than dragon tiles, which are also honor tiles.

Usage Example

Scenario: You are the South player (南 seat) in an East round (東 round wind).

• If you complete a pung of South wind tiles, you earn two yakuhai (one for seat wind, one for round wind)
• If you complete a pung of East wind tiles, you earn one yakuhai (round wind only)
• If you complete a pung of West or North wind tiles, you earn zero yakuhai

In this situation, South and East winds are valuable for yakuhai scoring, while West and North are not. A skilled player would prioritize collecting South and East tiles while discarding West and North when possible.

Related Terms

Jihai (字牌): The seven honor tiles collectively, including both kazehai (winds) and sangenpai (dragons). All jihai are terminal tiles that cannot be used in sequences.

Yakuhai (役牌): Scoring patterns worth one point each. Kazehai are the most common yakuhai, alongside dragon tiles and the player’s own wind tiles.

Sangenpai (三元牌): The three dragon tiles (White, Green, Red), which function similarly to kazehai as honor tiles and yakuhai.

Oya (親): The dealer position, typically East in the first round. The dealer’s seat wind is always East initially.

Bakuze (場風): The prevailing round wind, which changes after each complete round and determines which wind tile is yakuhai for all players.

Jikaze (自風): Your personal seat wind, determined by your position at the table and used to calculate yakuhai value.