A normal set of Mahjong tiles will contain 136 or 144 tiles (could be more in sets from Japan).
The set is divided into several categories:

In Chinese, numbers can be represented either by the numerals 1-9 or by Characters,
The below image shows the numbers 1-9 in Chinese characters.

Chinese name : (Wan Zi)
Meaning in English : Ten Thousand
Amount : 36 (4 sets of 9 tiles)
Ranked : Yes, 1-9



Chinese name : (Tong Zi)
Meaning in English : Cylinder
Amount : 36 (4 sets of 9 tiles)
Ranked : Yes, 1-9


Bamboo tile number one, often referred as "the Sparrow", it is different from the other tiles in order to make it hard to cheat by adding strokes to it (so it will appear like other tile).

Chinese name : (Suo Zi)
Meaning in English : (Woven) Thread
Amount : 36 (4 sets of 9 tiles)
Ranked : Yes, 1-9


The dragon tiles, shown in the below image from left to right: Red (Hong Zhong), Green (Qing Fa), White (Bai Ban).

Chinese name : (San Yuan Pai)
Meaning in English : Three head (main) tiles
Amount : 12 (4 sets of 3 tiles)
Ranked : no


The wind tiles, shown in the below image from left to right : East, South, West, North.

Chinese name : (Feng Pai)
Meaning in English : Wind tiles
Amount : 16 (4 sets of 4 tiles)
Ranked : no


The season tiles, shown in the below image, sometimes have Chinese characters that represent the Seasons, and (Like this image) sometimes have the 1-4 numbers in Chinese characters.

Chinese name : (Ji Pai)
Meaning in English : Season tiles
Amount : 8 (2 sets of 4 tiles)
Ranked : no


The flower tiles, shown in the below image from left to right: Plum, Orchid, chrysanthemum, Bamboo.

Chinese name : (Hua Pai)
Meaning in English : Flower tiles
Amount : 8 (2 sets of 4 tiles)
Ranked : no