Hold pungs or kongs of three winds and a pair of the fourth, then finish with any set.
The pair is what separates it from Big Four Winds, where the fourth wind is a pung too and the pair can be anything. Here the fourth wind is the pair, which leaves one set free: it may be a run, a pung or a kong of any tile.
What it scores
Its Chinese Official and riichi values are settled; its Hong Kong value is not.
| Style | Value |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong | a limit hand, or 6 faan |
| Chinese Official | 64 points |
| Japanese riichi | yakuman |
Chinese Official scores it 64 of a possible 88. In riichi it is a yakuman whether the sets are concealed or claimed. The Hong Kong split is explained below, under Where the sources disagree.
Against Big Four Winds
How much the fourth wind pung adds depends on whose rules you play.
In Chinese Official it is 64 points for Little Four Winds against 88 for Big, and Wikipedia's Hong Kong list makes the gap larger still, 6 faan against its 13 faan ceiling. But Mahjong Time's Hong Kong list pays both hands 64 points, and in riichi it depends on the ruleset: Mahjong Time's riichi rules pay both a single yakuman, while rulesets that double Big Four Winds pay it twice what they pay the smaller hand.
So check your table's list before you hold out for the last wind. Under some rules the hand you already have is worth exactly as much.
Where the sources disagree
The Hong Kong value is the open question.
- Limit hand or 6 faan. Sloper's Hong Kong list makes it a limit hand but marks it as contested, and adds that many Cantonese players award 6 faan instead. Mahjong Time's list pays the limit, 64 points. Wikipedia's article on Hong Kong scoring gives 6 faan, before any faan for a seat or round wind pung are added. Agree on it before you play.
Questions about Little Four Winds
What is Little Four Winds in mahjong?
A hand holding pungs or kongs of three winds and a pair of the fourth, plus one more set of anything. It is 64 points in Chinese Official and a yakuman in riichi. In Hong Kong play it is a limit hand at some tables and 6 faan at others.
Is Little Four Winds worth less than Big Four Winds?
In Chinese Official, yes: 64 points against 88. Elsewhere it depends on whose list you use. Mahjong Time's Hong Kong list pays both hands 64 points, and Mahjong Time's riichi rules pay both a single yakuman, while other riichi rulesets double Big Four Winds.
Can Little Four Winds be made from claimed discards?
Yes. Our sources allow the sets to be exposed, which matters, because the hand needs eleven of the sixteen wind tiles.
Where this comes from
Checked against Tom Sloper's Hong Kong FAQ and his yaku list, Wikipedia on Hong Kong scoring and Japanese yaku, Mahjong Time's Hong Kong, Chinese Official and riichi pages, and Yellow Mountain Imports. The full list is on our mahjong hands page, and Japanese Mahjong explains what a han is worth.