noun
pinzu; dot tiles; circle tiles
One of the three main suits in mahjong, represented by circles. The term is used in tile names like 一筒 (イーピン), 二筒 (リャンピン), etc.
from Chinese
麻雀では、筒子は丸い模様の牌です。
In mahjong, pinzu are tiles with circle patterns.
彼は筒子の一気通貫を狙っている。
He is aiming for a straight of pinzu tiles.
Katakana spelling is common in mahjong contexts.
Alternate kanji spelling using 餅 (mochi) for the round shape; rarely used.
From Chinese mahjong terminology. 筒 means 'cylinder' or 'tube', referring to the circular shape of the tiles. The reading ピンズ is derived from Chinese 'bǐng' (饼, cake/round object), while トンズ is a Japanese approximation of the Chinese reading.