Meld

Meld

Definition

A meld is a set of three tiles that forms either a sequence (shuntsu) or a triplet (koutsu). In standard mahjong hand composition, a winning hand requires exactly four melds plus one pair (jantou), totaling 14 tiles.

Detailed Explanation

Melds are the fundamental building blocks of mahjong hands. Understanding melds is essential to playing mahjong effectively, as hand construction revolves entirely around forming and completing melds.

Types of Melds

Shuntsu (Sequence Meld)

A shuntsu is a meld consisting of three consecutive tiles of the same suit. For example, 3-4-5 of bamboo or 7-8-9 of characters. Sequences can only be formed from suited tiles (bamboo, characters, or dots) and cannot include honor tiles. The sequence must follow numerical order, and the lowest possible sequence is 1-2-3 while the highest is 7-8-9 of any suit.

Koutsu (Triplet Meld)

A koutsu is a meld consisting of three identical tiles. This can be three of the same number in the same suit (such as three 5-dot tiles) or three of the same honor tile (such as three East wind tiles). Triplets can be formed from any tile type in the game.

Meld Formation

Melds can be formed in two ways during gameplay:

Concealed Melds (Anmen)

Melds formed entirely from tiles drawn from the wall are called concealed melds. These are kept hidden in a player’s hand and are only revealed when the hand is complete and won.

Exposed Melds (Minzu)

Melds formed by claiming discarded tiles from other players are exposed melds. When a player claims a discard to complete a meld, they must display the meld openly on the table. This includes melds formed by pung (claiming a discard to complete a triplet), kong (claiming a discard to add to a pair of identical tiles), or chow (claiming a discard to complete a sequence).

Hand Structure

A complete winning hand in standard mahjong consists of:

• Four melds (either shuntsu or koutsu, in any combination)
• One pair (jantou)

This totals 14 tiles. For example, a winning hand might contain two shuntsu sequences, two koutsu triplets, and one pair. Alternatively, a hand could contain four koutsu and one pair, or any other valid combination.

Usage Example

Consider a player holding the following tiles: 1-2-3 bamboo, 5-5-5 characters, 7-8-9 dots, 2-3-4 bamboo, and a pair of East wind tiles.

This hand contains four valid melds:

1. 1-2-3 bamboo (shuntsu)
2. 5-5-5 characters (koutsu)
3. 7-8-9 dots (shuntsu)
4. 2-3-4 bamboo (shuntsu)

Plus one pair: 5. East-East (jantou)

This represents a complete, winning hand with four melds and one pair.

Related Terms

Mentsu — The general Japanese term for “meld,” encompassing both shuntsu and koutsu. This is the umbrella term for all tile combinations that form sets.

Shuntsu — A sequence meld consisting of three consecutive numbered tiles of the same suit.

Koutsu — A triplet meld consisting of three identical tiles.

Jantou — The pair, consisting of two identical tiles. Every winning hand must contain exactly one pair.

Pair — The English term for jantou; the two identical tiles that complete a winning hand.

Understanding melds and their various types is crucial for developing mahjong strategy and recognizing winning hand patterns across different rule sets.