Hanafuda Glossary

The core action in hanafuda: playing cards from your hand or draw pile to match same-month cards on the field. Each turn consists of playing one card from hand to match, then flipping one from the draw pile to match. If no match exists, the card is placed on the field. If a matching card is played, you must capture it.

Cards won by matching field cards. Captured cards are displayed face-up in front of you for all players to see. Specific combinations of captured cards form completed yaku.

The scoring calculation performed after each round (month). The method varies by game:

• Koi-Koi: Winner collects their yaku score directly from the loser
• Hanawase: Completed yaku settlement → captured card settlement using 88-point baseline
• Shishibo: Winner collects soba × multiplier from each active player
• Hachihachi: Hand yaku → completed yaku → special yaku → orichin → captured cards, settled in order

The points paid for a completed yaku. For completed yaku, the achiever collects from each other player individually (e.g., a 20-point yaku in 3-player game = 40 points total from 2 players). Hand yaku payments work the same way.

A fee paid by players who declare "retire" in Hachihachi. The fee increases with each successive retirement (1st: 1 kan, 2nd: 1.5 kan, 3rd: 2 kan, 4th: 2.5 kan). Orichin is set aside and collected by the month's winner (highest scorer excluding hand yaku) at the end of the round.

A compensation system in Hachihachi for players who are automatically pushed out after 3 players enter. The 3 entering players each pay oikomi fees based on the pushed-out player's hand: half of hand yaku value, 3 points per yaku-related card, and/or half of any complete yaku found in hand.

When previously completed or declared yaku are invalidated by certain conditions.

• Koi-Koi: After declaring koi-koi, if your opponent declares "Stop" first, all your yaku are nullified
• Hachihachi: When a special yaku (Sujiroku, Futahachi, Souhachi) is completed, all hand yaku for that month are nullified

A round that ends in a draw with no score exchange.

• Koi-Koi: Neither player completes any yaku before all hand cards are played
• Hanawase: Fuke occurs (a player's captured cards total 20 points or less)

When a player's hand meets specific conditions, the round is redealt from the beginning.

• Koi-Koi: Teshi (four of same month) or Kuttsuki (three pairs of same month) can be declared for a redeal
• Shishibo: If all 4 cards of Iris, Chrysanthemum, or Paulownia are in hand

Yaku formed during gameplay from specific combinations of captured cards. Examples include Five Brights, Four Brights, Poetry Ribbons, Blue Ribbons, and Boar-Deer-Butterfly. The number of types and point values vary by game.

Yaku that exist in a player's dealt hand before play begins. Not used in Koi-Koi or Hanawase, but an important scoring source in Shishibo and Hachihachi. Hand yaku are revealed before play begins, and payments are collected immediately.

Powerful yaku that immediately end the round when completed, regardless of remaining hand or draw pile cards. In Shishibo, Four Brights, Poetry Ribbons, and Blue Ribbons serve as cut-off yaku, scored as multiples of the soba.

Yaku with extraordinary conditions, unique to Hachihachi: Sujiroku (16+ plain cards), Futahachi (168+ captured card points), and Souhachi (all 3 players at exactly 88 points). When special yaku are completed, all hand yaku for that month are nullified.

A card that can be used as a category other than its original type. In Koi-Koi, the "Chrysanthemum Sake Cup" can count as both an Animal card and a Plain card simultaneously. This allows it to contribute to up to 4 yaku: Cherry Blossom Viewing, Moon Viewing, Animals, and Plains.

The scoring unit used in Koi-Koi. Each yaku has a mon value, and the total mon is multiplied by the koi-koi multiplier to determine the final score.

The scoring unit used in Hachihachi. 12 points = 1 kan. All settlements — hand yaku, completed yaku, special yaku, and retirement fees — use this unit.

The reference point used in Hanawase and Hachihachi settlement. The total of all card points (264) divided by 3 players = 88 points. Players above this baseline gain points; those below lose points.

The base score unit in Shishibo that determines how much the winner receives per player each round. Set by the number of Bright cards in the field, and can be raised further by Kotsu declarations. Cut-off yaku multiply the soba by 2× or 3×.

The unit of soba in Shishibo. With no Bright cards in the field, it's 1-honba. Each Bright card adds 1 to the honba count. Honba also increases when Kotsu is declared or when 4+ players attempt to enter.

In Hachihachi, when no Bright cards appear among the field cards. All settlements use the ×1 (baseline) multiplier.

In Hachihachi, when Pine Crane, Cherry Curtain, or Pampas Moon appears among the field cards. All settlements are multiplied by ×2.

In Hachihachi, when Willow Ono no Michikaze or Paulownia Phoenix appears among the field cards. All settlements are multiplied by ×4. When oba and zetsuba overlap, zetsuba takes priority.

In Shishibo, when no Bright cards appear among the field cards. Treated as 1-honba.

In Shishibo, when Bright cards are present among the field cards. The honba increases based on the number of Brights.

In Hachihachi, when multiple qualifying Bright cards appear in the field. The field type (oba or zetsuba) continues for as many months as there are qualifying cards.

The continuation declaration in Koi-Koi. When a yaku is completed, declaring "koi-koi" means you don't lock in your score and the game continues. Each koi-koi doubles the final score, but you risk having your yaku nullified if your opponent completes one first.

The ending declaration in Koi-Koi. Declaring "shoubu" (stop) when a yaku is completed locks in your current score and ends the round.

A special declaration exclusive to the dealer in Hachihachi. Before cards are dealt, the dealer commits to entering without seeing their hand. They must enter regardless of hand quality, but if their captured cards total 89+ points at month's end, they receive 1 kan from every participant, including retired players.

A restriction rule in Hachihachi that prohibits actions helping opponents complete yaku. When an opponent is 1 card away from completing a yaku, you cannot discard the needed card (or its same-month card) to the field, or fail to capture it when able. Violators bear the entire yaku cost for 2 players alone.

In Hachihachi, when a completed yaku is formed during play, the player may choose to continue rather than end the round, aiming for additional yaku. If no new yaku is completed, the player pays sage-chin — effectively halving their yaku earnings.

In Hachihachi, the penalty for declaring "sageru" without completing additional yaku. The player must return half the yaku payment, effectively reducing their earnings to 50%.

In Shishibo, a declaration to raise the soba by 1. After the enter/retire phase, only entered players may declare Kotsu in turn, starting from the dealer.

In Shishibo, declaring "enter" without looking at your hand and then also declaring "Kotsu." This carries the risk of unknown hand quality while raising the stakes, but increases the potential reward if you win.

A special rule triggered when captured card points are extremely low.

• Hanawase: If captured cards total 20 points or less, the month is a void round and all yaku payments are returned
• Shishibo: If captured cards total 15 points or less, that player wins. However, if the player revealed hand yaku, Fuke is invalid

A special rule in Hanawase. When ameshima (all 4 Willow cards) is completed, instead of scoring normally, all completed yaku for that month are voided. Only captured card point settlement occurs.

A special yaku in Hanawase. After all cards are matched, if a player's captured card count is 8 or fewer for dealer/second player, or 10 or fewer for third player (biki), it is activated. The declaring player receives 30 points from each other player. Multiple players can claim this simultaneously.

A special yaku in Hachihachi. Activated when 16+ plain cards are captured. Worth 12 kan at 16 cards, with +2 kan per additional plain card. When a special yaku is completed, hand yaku are nullified.

A special yaku in Hachihachi. Activated when captured card points total 168+ (baseline + 80). Worth 10 kan at 168 points, with +1 kan per additional point. When a special yaku is completed, hand yaku are nullified.

A special yaku in Hachihachi. Activated when all 3 players' captured cards total exactly 88 points. This is the dealer's yaku — the other two players each pay the dealer 10 kan. When a special yaku is completed, hand yaku are nullified.

Having all 4 cards of the same month in your hand.

• Koi-Koi (3+ players): Can be declared for a redeal
• Shishibo: Treated as the Shihon hand yaku (100 pts)
• Hachihachi: Hand yaku worth 6 kan (72 pts)

Having 3 pairs of same-month cards (6 of 7 cards matched) in your hand.

• Koi-Koi (3+ players): Can be declared for a redeal
• Hachihachi: Hand yaku worth 4 kan (48 pts)

Having 3 cards of the same month in your hand.

• Shishibo: Hand yaku worth 50 pts. Revealed before play. Can overlap with Shihon for a combined 150 pts
• Hachihachi: Hand yaku worth 2 kan (24 pts). Eligible for the tobikomi bonus

An enhanced version of sanbon in Hachihachi. While regular sanbon is worth 2 kan, having 3 same-month cards of Wisteria, Iris, or Bush Clover, or 3 Paulownia plain cards, is worth 3 kan.

A bonus for Red Group hand yaku in Hachihachi (Aka, Tan-ichi, Toichi, Karasu). Despite having a weak hand, if captured cards total 89+ points at round end, the hand yaku payment increases by +1 kan.

A bonus for Three-of-a-Kind Group hand yaku in Hachihachi. If the player captures all cards that originally formed their sanbon or tate-sanbon during play, the hand yaku payment increases by +1 kan.