Tanyao (断幺九)
1 han
All simples — no terminals or honors anywhere in the hand.
Example winning hand
Winning tile: 5m
How Tanyao (断幺九) works
Tanyao (all simples) is a hand made entirely of number tiles 2 through 8, with no terminals (1 or 9) and no honor tiles anywhere.
Every set and the pair must be built only from simples (2-8 in any suit). It is one of the most common and flexible yaku because the broad middle tiles make many shapes possible. In most modern rules tanyao is allowed open (kuitan), so it can be claimed even after calling tiles.
Good to know
- •A single terminal or honor anywhere in the hand voids it.
- •Combines naturally with pinfu, tsumo, sanshoku, and dora-heavy hands.
- •Whether the open (kuitan) version counts depends on table rules, though it is permitted in most standard games.
Tanyao (断幺九) — FAQ
Can I win tanyao with an open hand?
Under the common kuitan rule yes — calling tiles is allowed as long as no terminals or honors appear. Some stricter rulesets require it to be closed.
Does a 1-2-3 run count for tanyao?
No. The 1 is a terminal, so any run containing a 1 or a 9 disqualifies the hand from tanyao.
Other 1-han yaku