yaku-less tenpai; hand one tile from completion without a valid win condition
In mahjong, a hand that is tenpai (one tile away from winning) but lacks any yaku (winning condition), so it cannot be declared a win even if the needed tile is drawn.
In a yaku-less tenpai state, you cannot win even if you draw the winning tile.
Beginners sometimes fail to notice a yaku-less tenpai and keep waiting uselessly.
聴牌 (tenpai) is the general state of being one tile away from winning; 形式聴牌 specifically refers to a tenpai hand that lacks any yaku, making it impossible to win.
役 (yaku) are the winning conditions in mahjong; a hand without any yaku cannot be declared a win, which is the core issue in 形式聴牌.
Standard kanji spelling for this mahjong term.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling; common in mahjong contexts where テンパイ is often written in katakana.
Compound of 形式 (formality, form) and 聴牌 (tenpai, 'one tile away from winning'). The term describes a hand that is technically tenpai in form but lacks the substance (yaku) needed to win.