Mahjong (Traditional Chinese: 麻將; Simplified Chinese: 麻将; Pinyin: Májiàng; Cantonese: Màhjeung; other common English spellings include mahjongg, majiang, and hyphenated forms such as mah-jong or mah-jongg) is a game for four players that originated in China. Also known as Chinese: 麻雀; Pinyin: Máquè; Cantonese: Màhjeuk; Japanese: Mājan.
Mahjong involves skill, strategy, and calculation, as well as a certain degree of luck. Depending on the variation which is played, luck can be anything from a minor to a dominant factor in success. In Asia, mahjong is also popular as gambling or computer games.
The object of the game is to build complete suits - or melds - usually of threes, from either 13 or 16 tiles. The first person to achieve this goal wins the game. The winning tile completes the player's set of either 14 or 17 tiles.