What are blank mahjong tiles for?
Blanks are not part of the standard game, but many sets include them. What they are for depends on your set.
By Jerry Chen. Checked and updated November 1, 2026
- Also called
- Blanks, spares
- How many
- Usually 4 to 6 in modern American sets; some sets have none
What they are for
If your set has blanks and white dragons, the blanks are spares. Use one, with a sticker or marker, to replace a lost tile.
If your set has blanks but no white dragons, four of the blanks are your white dragons (soap).
Blanks as wild tiles
Some beginner groups use blanks as extra wild tiles. The details vary from table to table, and it is not part of the League's rules. If your group plays this way, agree on the rule before you start.
Common mistakes
- Playing blanks as wild tiles at a table that has not agreed to it.
- Throwing out blanks: they are your spares if a tile goes missing.
Rule questions
- Is there a hot wall rule in American mahjong?
- Can you use a joker in a pair?
- What if you have the wrong number of tiles?
Common questions
What do you do with blank mahjong tiles?
Keep them as spares for lost tiles. If your set has no white dragons, four blanks are the white dragons.
Are blank tiles jokers?
Not under League rules. Some groups use them as extra wild tiles as a house rule.
Why does my set have 166 tiles?
Usually the 152 playing tiles plus spares: 8 extra flowers, 2 extra jokers and 4 blanks. You play with 152.
Other tiles
Sources: Tom Sloper, American mah-jongg FAQ 19 (blank tiles). Rules follow the National Mah Jongg League; house rules vary.