Etymology

Thirteen Orphans

Today it means: A hand consisting of one of each terminal and honor tile and a pair. Full definition →

Chinese 十三幺
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The story

  1. Chinese · calque of十三幺
  2. English todayThirteen Orphans

Calque of Chinese 十三幺 (shísānyāo). "Orphan" is used figuratively in reference to the tiles not forming melds.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.