么九牌やおちゅうはい

also: ヤオチューハイ · ヤオチュウパイ · ヤオチューパイ

Meanings

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

么九やおちゅう牌はいを集あつめて国こく士し無む双そうを狙ねらう。
Collect terminal and honor tiles to aim for the Thirteen Orphans hand.
この手ては么九やおちゅう牌はいが多おおくて難むずかしい。
This hand has many terminal and honor tiles, making it difficult.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Kanji

么interrogative particle, repetition of a tune small, tender
九nine
牌label, signboard, medal
幺short thread radical (no. 52)
公public, prince, official

Related words

中張牌ちゅんちゃんぱい
Refers to tiles numbered 2 through 8 (simples), the opposite of 么九牌.
国こく士し無む双そう
A special hand that uses all thirteen terminal and honor tiles; 么九牌 are essential for this hand.

Written forms

么九牌
- ヤオチュウハイ
  Standard kanji spelling in mahjong contexts.
- ヤオチュウパイ
幺九牌
- ヤオチュウハイ
  Variant kanji form using 幺 instead of 么; both are used.
- ヤオチュウパイ
公九牌
- ヤオチュウハイ
  Less common variant; may be a typographical or historical variant.
- ヤオチュウパイ
ヤオチュウパイ
Katakana spelling with voiced 牌 (パイ); also common.

Etymology

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.