also: ヤオチューハイ · ヤオチュウパイ · ヤオチューパイ
terminal and honor tiles
In mahjong, refers to tiles numbered 1 or 9 (terminals) and all wind and dragon tiles (honors). These tiles are collectively called ヤオチュウハイ (么九牌).
from Chinese yāo jiǔ pái
Collect terminal and honor tiles to aim for the Thirteen Orphans hand.
This hand has many terminal and honor tiles, making it difficult.
Standard kanji spelling in mahjong contexts.
Variant kanji form using 幺 instead of 么; both are used.
Less common variant; may be a typographical or historical variant.
Katakana spelling with voiced 牌 (パイ); also common.
From Chinese 么九牌 (yāo jiǔ pái), literally 'one-nine tiles', referring to the 1 and 9 terminals plus honor tiles. The reading ヤオチュウハイ is a Japanese approximation of the Chinese pronunciation.