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Counting han
Han measure an ordinary hand’s value: they come from yaku and dora, then combine with fu, seat and win method.
The principle
Han measure the value of an ordinary winning hand. Han from yaku and dora add together. A win needs at least one yaku; a genuine yakuman pattern follows its own scale instead of being counted as ordinary han.
Rule and example
Han first come from yaku, then from dora and uradora. The Tenhou profile taught here uses one red five in each suit, also worth one han; WRC 2025 uses none. Dora are never yaku: a hand without a yaku cannot win.
What changes
Some patterns lose one han when the hand is opened by a call (chi, pon): this is kuisagari, for example sanshoku, ittsuu or honitsu. Below mangan, the han total combines with the fu to give the score; from five han upward, fu no longer matter.
Mistake to avoid
Under Tenhou rules, big totals have names: five han is mangan, six to seven haneman, eight to ten baiman, eleven to twelve sanbaiman, and thirteen or more kazoe yakuman. WRC 2025 calls that final tier yonbaiman.
Rules references
- Tenhou rulesReference profile used for game mechanics and scoring.
- WRC Rules 2025International rules compared whenever their options differ from Tenhou.