Winds are East, South, West, and North, four of each. American cards often print all four as NEWS.
East is the dealer for the hand. The American Charleston starts from East's seat, and East draws first after the pass.
You can pung or kong winds, and a line may ask for them. A joker can finish identical winds.
Name East before you sit, so the pass does not run the wrong way. Chinese tables also deal from East; who stays East is a house rule.
Sichuan 血战到底 has no winds. Riichi, Hong Kong, and MCR do.
Name East before the tiles move.