Mahjong Soul Yaku Cheat Sheet: All 40+ Yaku With In-Game Examples
Every yaku in the Mahjong Soul yaku list — han values, frequency, closed-hand rules, and which yaku trigger in-game animations.
Mahjong Soul recognizes 40 yaku from standard riichi rules plus a handful of optional rules that some lobbies enable. Every yaku displays in the win screen with its han value and a unique badge animation. This page is a quick-reference table of every Mahjong Soul yaku you can score, organized by frequency and stacked with the in-game terminology you’ll see at the table.
If you’re new to riichi entirely, start with the what is yaku guide first, then come back here for the Mahjong Soul–specific reference.
How Does Mahjong Soul Display Yaku?
When you win a hand on Mahjong Soul, the platform displays each yaku as a stacked tile-style banner with the yaku name in Japanese (and English in localized versions), the han value, and a “+1” or “+2” indicator showing what each yaku contributes to the total score. Yakuman hands trigger a special golden animation across the screen.
The display order is consistent: yaku appear from top to bottom by han value, with closed-hand-only yaku grouped near the top. Dora and aka dora appear at the bottom because they’re not strictly yaku — they’re han bonuses that stack on top.
The Common Yaku You’ll See Most Sessions
These eight yaku account for around 80% of Mahjong Soul wins at most rank tiers. Memorize their visual badges and you’ll recognize most hands instantly.
| Yaku | Han | Closed Only | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riichi | 1 | Yes | Declared at tenpai with closed hand |
| Tanyao | 1 | No (some rule sets require closed) | All simples 2-8, no terminals or honors |
| Pinfu | 1 | Yes | All sequences, non-value pair, two-sided wait |
| Yakuhai | 1 per set | No | Triplet of dragons, seat wind, or round wind |
| Iipeikou | 1 | Yes | Two identical sequences in same suit |
| Tsumo | 1 | Yes | Self-draw winning tile (closed hand) |
| Ippatsu | 1 | Yes | Win within one turn after declaring riichi |
| Dora | 1 per tile | No | Bonus indicator tiles (and aka dora red 5s) |
Tsumo and ippatsu are technically yaku in Mahjong Soul scoring even though they’re often called “scoring elements” elsewhere. The game treats them as yaku and they appear in the win banner.
The 2-Han Yaku You’ll Hit Occasionally
These appear maybe once per session and tend to combine with the common yaku above for stronger wins.
| Yaku | Han | Closed Only | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanshoku doujun | 2 / 1 open | No | Same sequence across all 3 suits (e.g. 234 manzu + 234 pinzu + 234 souzu) |
| Ittsu | 2 / 1 open | No | Straight 1-9 within a single suit |
| Toitoi | 2 | No | All triplets, no sequences |
| Sanankou | 2 | No | Three concealed triplets |
| Honroutou | 2 | No | All terminals and honors only |
| Chiitoitsu | 2 | Yes | Seven distinct pairs |
| Shousangen | 2 + yakuhai | No | Two dragon triplets plus a dragon pair |
| Daburu riichi | 2 | Yes | Riichi declared on first draw with closed hand |
| Chanta | 2 / 1 open | No | Every set contains a terminal or honor |
Toitoi and chiitoitsu are the most beginner-accessible 2-han yaku. Both reward triplet-heavy or pair-heavy hands that beginners often build by accident.
The 3-Han and 6-Han Yaku for Aspiring Players
These yaku separate intermediate from advanced play. They require committed hand-shaping from turn 1 and rarely happen by accident.
| Yaku | Han | Closed Only | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honitsu | 3 / 2 open | No | One suit plus honor tiles only |
| Junchan | 3 / 2 open | No | Every set contains a terminal (no honors) |
| Ryanpeikou | 3 | Yes | Two iipeikou pairs (closed only) |
| Chinitsu | 6 / 5 open | No | One suit only, no honors |
Honitsu is the most reachable of the four. New players who notice an early concentration in one suit can lean into it for a strong scoring hand.
Yakuman: The 13-Han Tier
Yakuman are the highest scoring yaku in Mahjong Soul and trigger a special golden animation. Hitting one is a once-per-50-sessions event for most players.
| Yakuman | Han | Closed Only | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokushi musou | 13 | Yes | One of each terminal and honor + a duplicate |
| Suuankou | 13 | Yes | Four concealed triplets |
| Daisangen | 13 | No | Triplets of all three dragons |
| Daisuushi | 13 | No | Triplets of all four winds |
| Shousuushi | 13 | No | Three wind triplets + a wind pair |
| Tsuuiisou | 13 | No | All honor tiles only |
| Chinroutou | 13 | No | All terminals only (detailed page) |
| Ryuuiisou | 13 | No | All green tiles only (specific bamboo + green dragon) |
| Chuuren poutou | 13 | Yes | 1-1-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-9-9 in one suit + any tile in suit |
| Suukantsu | 13 | No | Four kan declarations |
| Tenhou | 13 | Yes | Dealer wins on initial deal |
| Chiihou | 13 | Yes | Non-dealer wins on first draw |
Mahjong Soul uses standard yakuman scoring: 32,000 points for non-dealer, 48,000 for dealer. Some yakuman (like suuankou with the winning tile as one of the triplets) are double yakuman and double the payout.
Mahjong Soul Specific Yaku and Rules
A few yaku appear in Mahjong Soul that aren’t part of universal riichi rules. Watch your lobby settings — some are off by default.
Renhou (some lobbies) — A non-dealer wins on their first draw before any calls happen. Treated as 5-han mangan in Mahjong Soul lobbies that enable it.
Aka dora — Red five tiles. Mahjong Soul includes 1 red 5 per suit by default (3 total). Each red five adds 1 han, but red fives are bonuses, not yaku — you still need a real yaku to win.
Pao rule — When a player makes the call that completes someone else’s daisangen or daisuushi yakuman, that player pays the full yakuman cost. Mahjong Soul enforces this in standard rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mahjong Soul use the same yaku as Tenhou? Almost identical. Both follow standard Japanese riichi rules with the 40-plus yaku above. Mahjong Soul has slightly more lenient lobby options (renhou is more commonly enabled), but the core yaku list is the same.
Why didn’t I get the yaku I expected after a win? Usually one of three reasons: your hand was open and the yaku is closed-hand only (riichi, pinfu, ippatsu, iipeikou, ryanpeikou, chuuren, chiitoitsu, suuankou, chiihou, kokushi); your hand had a small yaku you didn’t notice that overrode the larger yaku you wanted; or you missed the timing window for ippatsu (any call between your riichi and your winning tile breaks ippatsu).
Can I see all my yaku in one place during a hand? No. Mahjong Soul shows yaku only on the win screen. During play, you have to track yaku potential mentally. The printable yaku cheat sheet is built for exactly this — keep it next to your screen until you’ve memorized the common yaku.
Are the Mahjong Soul yaku names in Japanese or English? Both. The platform supports localized text and shows yaku names in your preferred language. The Japanese romanization (riichi, tanyao, etc.) is universal across all language versions, and most experienced players use those names regardless of UI language.
Does Mahjong Soul have all the yakuman? Yes — all 13 standard yakuman from riichi rules are recognized. The platform also handles yakuman stacking (a single hand qualifying as multiple yakuman) by paying the highest single yakuman value, not the sum.
Can I practice yaku recognition in Mahjong Soul? Mahjong Soul has a tutorial mode that walks through the most common yaku, and the friendly room feature lets you play against bots without rank impact. For pure yaku drills outside the game, the yaku flashcards tool on this site is built for spaced-repetition memorization.
Next Steps
Print the free yaku cheat sheet PDF and keep it next to your monitor during your next Mahjong Soul session. For deeper learning on specific yaku, the complete yaku list breaks down each one with examples. And if you’ve been reaching tenpai but losing wins to no-yaku hands, read what to do when you have no yaku before your next match.