Tanyao

Tanyao

Tanyao (タンヤオ) is a one-han yaku in mahjong where your entire hand consists exclusively of numbered tiles from 2 to 8, with no terminal tiles (1s and 9s) or honor tiles (winds and dragons).

Detailed Explanation

Tanyao, also known as “All Simples,” is one of the most fundamental and commonly achieved yaku in mahjong. The name literally translates to “all simple” or “all middle,” referring to the middle-range numbered tiles that comprise the hand.

Hand Composition

A winning hand with tanyao must contain only the following tiles:

• 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of characters (万)
• 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of dots (筒)
• 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of bamboo (索)

Any terminal tile (1 or 9 of any suit) or honor tile (East, South, West, North, white dragon, green dragon, red dragon) will disqualify the hand from tanyao, regardless of other yaku present.

Open vs. Closed Hands

The classification of tanyao depends on regional rules and the ruleset being used. In many modern rulesets, particularly those used in tournaments, tanyao can be achieved as an open hand (kuitan allowed). This means you can declare tanyao even if you have called chi or pon on other players’ discards, provided your winning hand still contains only simples.

However, in traditional or stricter rulesets, tanyao may only be valid for closed hands (kuitan not allowed), meaning you cannot have made any open calls. Players should verify the specific rules of their game before relying on open tanyao.

Point Value

Tanyao is worth 1 han. When combined with other yaku, it contributes to the overall point calculation. Because it’s relatively easy to achieve, tanyao often appears in hands with additional yaku, creating higher-scoring combinations.

Strategic Significance

Tanyao is strategically important because:

1. Accessibility: It’s easier to construct than many other yaku since you have 21 usable tiles per suit instead of only 7 (if terminals were required).

2. Combination Potential: Tanyao frequently pairs with other yaku such as pinfu, iipeikou, or ryanpeikou to create stronger hands.

3. Defensive Advantage: Avoiding terminals and honors can sometimes be safer than pursuing hands that require specific terminal or honor tiles.

4. Frequency: Because tanyao is common, opponents will often discard middle-range tiles cautiously, affecting the game’s flow.

Usage Example

Imagine you’re building a hand with the following melds:

• Pung of 5 characters
• Chow of 3-4-5 dots
• Pung of 7 bamboo
• Pair of 4 characters

When you draw a 6 bamboo to complete your hand, you have tanyao (assuming no terminals or honors). If your hand also contains a closed sequence and a pair (pinfu pattern), you would score tanyao + pinfu = 2 han.

However, if your hand instead contained a 1 character or an East wind, tanyao would be invalidated, and you would need to rely on other yaku to score.

Related Terms

• Kuitan: The rule allowing open tanyao hands; literally “open all simples”
• Simples: The numbered tiles 2-8 that comprise tanyao
• Yaku: The hand patterns that score points in mahjong
• Junchan: A more restrictive yaku requiring terminals and honors; contrasts with tanyao
• Pinfu: A yaku often combined with tanyao for higher scores