noun, counter
mahjong tile
Refers to a single mahjong tile. Also used as a counter for tiles.
from Chinese pái
この牌は何の牌ですか。
What tile is this?
彼は一気に三枚の牌をツモった。
He drew three tiles in one go.
麻雀 is the game of mahjong itself, while 牌 refers specifically to the tiles used in the game.
Borrowed from Chinese 牌 (pái), meaning 'plate' or 'tablet', used in mahjong terminology.