# What Is a Concealed Hand in Mahjong Island?

**Quick answer:** In Mahjong Island, a Concealed hand is a hand on the Island Card marked C. While you build it, you cannot take another player's discard, except the tile that wins.

Source: https://mahjongisland.com/blog/can-a-pair-be-any-tile-in-mahjong · Mahjong Island · Updated 2026-10-29

A Concealed hand in Mahjong Island is a hand on the Island Card marked C. You build it from tiles you draw yourself.

You win by completing one hand on the **Island Card**: 14 tiles that match one line.

## What does the C change?

The C changes how you may collect tiles. On a hand without the C, you can use **Take Tile** when another player discards. Take Tile means picking up that discard. You may do it to make an Open Group of 3 to 6 identical tiles that your hand still allows.

A Concealed hand gives up that choice. You build its Groups from your own draws; only the winning tile can come from a discard.

Tiles: 7 Dot, 7 Dot, 7 Dot. A Set, three matching tiles. In a Concealed hand, you draw these yourself, unless one is your winning tile.

A Pair works the same way: two identical tiles, like two Red Dragons.

Tiles: Red Dragon, Red Dragon. A Pair: two Red Dragons.

## How do you win a Concealed hand?

You win a Concealed hand the same two ways as any hand. You can draw the last tile yourself, called a Self-Drawn Win. Or you can take the one discard that completes your hand.

To see how every line on the card is read, visit [how the Island Card works](/guides/mahjong-winning-hands). For the full turn order, see the [Mahjong Island rules guide](/guides/mahjong-rules).

[Play a hand free](https://mahjongisland.com/play?new=1)

## Frequently asked questions

### What does the C mean on a hand in Mahjong Island?

C marks a Concealed hand on the Island Card. You cannot take a discard for that hand, except the tile that wins it.

### Can you win a Concealed hand on another player's discard?

Yes. The one discard you may take for a Concealed hand is the tile that completes it and wins.

### Can a Joker go in a Concealed hand?

Yes, in a Set, Quad, Quint, or Sextet, but never in a Single or a Pair.