🀄 Mahjong Pung · Chow · Kong Trainer
Someone discards a tile — can you Pung? Chow? Kong? Or just Pass? One tile at a time, fits a single phone screen.
Hi! I'm Bala-zi. The hardest part for new mahjong players is knowing when to call Pung, Chow and Kong — especially the rule that you can only Chow from the player on your Left. This trainer shows the same hand discarded by different players so you can see the difference with your own eyes. (The tiles are Taiwanese mahjong, but Pung / Chow / Kong work the same in every mahjong variant — Japanese Riichi, Chinese, Hong Kong, all of them.)
Left discards a tile
📖 Reading the tiles: there are three suits — Man (萬 / characters), Pin (筒 / circles) and Sou (條 / bamboo) — plus honor tiles: the Winds (East 東, South 南, West 西, North 北) and Dragons (Red 中, Green 發, White 白).
🟢 What is Pung? How do you call it?
Pung = you already hold two identical tiles; when any player discards the third, you call "Pung" to form a triplet.
- ✅ You can Pung a discard from any player — Left, Across, or Right.
- ✅ Honor tiles (Winds & Dragons) can be Pung'd too; a Dragon triplet even scores points.
- ⚠️ A Pung'd set is exposed (face up), and your hand is no longer concealed.
🟡 What is Chow? Why only from the Left?
Chow = you hold two tiles of the same suit in sequence, and use them with the Left player's discard to make a run.
Your Left player is the one who discards right before your turn. Even if you hold the perfect tiles, you cannot Chow a discard from Across or the Right — only Pung or Kong. Questions 2 and 3 give you the same hand from different players so you feel the difference.
- ❌ Honor tiles can't be Chow'd. Winds and Dragons have no runs — only Pung.
- ⚠️ A Chow is also exposed and breaks a concealed hand.
🔵 What is Kong? The three types
- ① Open Kong: you hold three identical tiles and someone discards the fourth.
- ② Closed Kong: you draw all four yourself, declared face-down (keeps your hand concealed).
- ③ Added Kong: you already Pung'd a triplet and later draw the fourth tile to add on.
- 🎁 After any Kong you draw a replacement tile (a chance at a Kong-draw win).
⚖️ Multiple players want it? Call priority
When several players want the same discard, the order is:
So if you only want to Chow but another player calls Pung, the Pung wins; and anyone who can Win beats both. Remember this order and you'll never call out of turn.
❓ Pung / Chow / Kong FAQ
What's the difference between Pung and Chow?
Pung uses two identical tiles in your hand plus a third discarded by ANY player, forming a triplet. Chow uses two same-suit tiles in sequence plus a discard from your LEFT player only, forming a run.
Why can't I Chow a tile from Across or the Right?
In mahjong you may Chow only from your Left player — the one who discards right before your turn. Tiles from Across or the Right can only be Pung’d or Kong’d. This is the most common beginner mistake.
How many kinds of Kong are there?
Three: Open Kong (three in hand + a discard), Closed Kong (all four self-drawn, declared face-down), and Added Kong (adding a fourth tile to a Pung you already called). After any Kong you draw a replacement tile.
Does calling Pung break a concealed hand?
Yes. Once you Pung, Chow, or make an open Kong, your hand is no longer concealed and you lose the concealed-hand bonus. To stay concealed, win entirely by self-draw.
Can one tile be both Pung’d and Chow’d?
No — you take only one action. And when several players want the same tile, priority is: Win > Pung/Kong > Chow. A player calling Pung beats a player who only wants to Chow.
Read Chinese? Try the full Chinese version with extra Taiwanese-scoring tools.
🀄 中文版練習器 →
