The sounds spoken to mean the number four are very similar to the sounds meaning "death." is well known to be an unlucky number because 四 sounds similar to 死 (sǐ), which means "death" in Chinese. We focused on the number 4 because 4 is pronounced si 四 in Chinese, which sounds like si (死, death) and many people try to avoid this unlucky number. Additionally, this number represents the three stages in the life of humans - birth, marriage, death - that adds to its importance in Chinese culture. Because eight is a lucky number in China, we fly eights to China. Many hope that the luck of number 8 will bring fortune to their children. In business, 6 is considered lucky. For example: Maybe the best example that shows how Chinese love the number 8 is the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. This made it very popular with Emperors who used it in many aspects of their administration, right from dividing the empire into 9 continents, wearing nine-dragon imperial robes, nine-rank system for officials, etc. The Chinese love this number both in trivial matters and in big moments. there is a high preference for numbers with 8 in them. With pronunciation of 'Ba' in Chinese, no. For Chinese New Year, banners are placed symmetrically on both sides of the door. (Photo by Stephan Schulz/picture alliance via Getty Images) In the strangest of years, today marks the last Friday the 13th of 2020. Since the number 8 is believed to bring good luck, many airlines in Chinese-speaking countries will use combinations of 8 as flight numbers. 9 was also traditionally associated with the Chinese emperor. 2 (两), pronounced er or liang, is considered to be lucky as the Chinese believe that all good things come in pairs. People will go to extremes based on superstitions of the number 4. Let's consider the number 14 first. The numbers 14 and 34 are far less popular in Chinese culture and not only because they both contain the unlucky number four. 4 is well known to be an unlucky number because 四 sounds similar to 死 (sǐ), which means "death" in Chinese. China Highlights tailor-makes China tours to help travelers discover China China stops issuing license plates with 'unlucky' number '4' Man goes naked at Obama rally for $1 million SpO2 is an early indicator of COVID 19, and now you can wear it … The Eight Directions (Bafang 八方) represent the whole universe in Taoist spatial conception. In China, the presence of the number 4 is avoided in most public settings; in addition to elevator buttons, addresses, ID numbers, phone numbers, license plates, and product names will usually omit the number 4 … In choosing houses (apartment or floor number), phone numbers, or dates of events such as weddings, engagements, etc. Like the number 13, people in China try to avoid the number 4 completely. Do you avoid unlucky numbers? 88 (bā bā) - 88 is commonly used when signing off, to represent “bye bye”. facai 发财), meaning "well-off" or "getting rich in a short time". In fact, at the winter Olympics in Turin, the 17th curve on the bobsled track was referred to as “Senza Nome” (without name) instead of referring to it with the unlucky number 17. One other number that causes a lot of superstition is the number 4. Many of the numbers are homophones or near-homophones of other words and have therefore acquired superstitious meanings. 12 is a perfect number, so 13 must be unlucky. Like 5, 7 has both positive and negative connotations in Chinese culture. The number 13 has been known for centuries to be “unlucky” but why? It is similar to the word that means everlasting. Most of the babies were born around August (the 8th month). 6 (六), pronounced liu, is considered lucky as it sounds like the word that means 'to flow', and can indicate smooth progress in life. Chinese culture puts emphasis on family and strong, healthy children, so 生 has a positive connotation. “The number eight is lucky for China,” says Quayle at United. We're a passionate team of one hundred avid travelers who love to share our knowledge Multiples of eight are even better, as 88 bears a resemblance to 囍 (shuāng xǐ), or “double happiness”. 4 is well known to be an unlucky number because 四 sounds similar to 死 (sǐ), which means "death" in Chinese. Learn more in the Cambridge English-Chinese simplified Dictionary. Especially in Chinese culture. Houses and apartments that have 4 in the address number will sell for much less than ones without. Loyalty At birthday and wedding celebrations, the number 9 is welcome as it represents longevity. For traditional Chinese weddings, decorations often include the word 囍 (shuāng xǐ), which is a combination of two of the word 喜 (xǐ) , meaning “happiness”. In China, it is customary to regard even numbers as being more auspicious than odd ones. For good fengshui, you can read more about China's Five Element Philosophy and the significant numbers associated with each element: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. This is because many buildings in China not only omit the 13th floor, but are also missing any floor containing the number 4, which is considered to be the unluckiest number in Chinese culture. For example, gifting to friends or to couples seldom contains the number 3 in any form of association. According to I Ching (易经), the bagua (八卦), or the eight trigrams, are the foundation that generates everything. Or an address with the number 8 in it will be considered lucky. China Area Alternatively, you can check out a great feature on our site that lets you create your own trip. To add, gifting money or any object that has the digit 4 (40 or 14 RMB) associated with it is considered inauspicious. Unlucky Number Seven: The Exchange Rate and the State of U.S.-China Talks August 6, 2019 On Monday, the Chinese renminbi (RMB) fell below the psychologically significant level of seven RMB to the U.S. dollar for the first time in more than a decade. We focused on the number 4 because 4 is pronounced as si in Chinese, which sounds like si (死, death) and many people try to avoid this unlucky number. Let’s explore some of the most common, and see just why those numbers came to be so unlucky. 'Eight' (八) in Chinese is pronounced 'ba' and sounds similar to fa (发, trad. The number 6 is generally considered to be lucky in China because 六 sounds like 流 (liú), which means "flow" in Chinese. In China, the number four is considered to be unlucky as … Thus, some buildings in East Asia omit floors and room numbers containing 4, similar to the Western practice of some buildings not having a 13th floor because 13 is considered unlucky. Strings of numbers are used to represent different phrases: 520 (wǔ èr líng) - 520 is used for 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ), which means " I love you" in Chinese. Mentioning the number four to an ill family member is considered to be highly offensive, and giving anything with 4 on it to someone can be seen as a death threat. This is observed in repeated characters in some brand names or gifts. Chinese is a tonal language with a comparatively small inventory of permitted syllables, resulting in an exceptionally large number of homophone words. How can a number be attached to so much superstition and meaning. In Chinese mythology, it is said that the Dragon has 9 children. 10. Founded in 2004, TutorGroup, the parent company of TutorMing, created the first commercially available synchronous learning portal in the world. In the Beijing summer Olympics, the opening ceremony began at 8:08 pm on 8/8/08. Mobile numbers are preferred if they contain one or more 8s. In Chinese history, the number 5 is used in many classifications, such as five flavors (pungent, sweet, sour, salty, bitter), five sacred mountains (Huashan, Hengshan in Hunan, Hengshan in Shanxi, Songshan and Taishan) and so on. 4 is an unlucky number in China, so this hotel lacks a fourth floor (tip of the observation hat to Brian Crosby) Forget Unlucky 13. 4: In China, … An instance is the Tiananmen Gate which is the main entry to the Forbidden City. In Afghanistan, Beware 39 Afghans have plenty of serious issues to contend with, but a surprising number of people are concerned with a number: 39. Several buildings either don’t have a 13 th floor or 13 th room. 8 has long been regarded as the luckiest number in Chinese culture. 9 is the highest single digit number and hence represents completeness. While we have covered all the Chinese Zodiac signs in more detail, in this piece, we want to leave you with the numeric significance for each sign - read on and see which are your lucky colors and which aren't. No. red envelopes and other forms of gifting. 8 is given the highest priority when buying a number plate or buying a house. As well as these general number superstitions, fengshui and the Chinese zodiac dictate different number luck for different places/people. This fact was very amusing to me, when I first came to know about this. The number of cases of the new virus in China now exceeds the 5,327 that were infected with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which also originated in China … What do you think? The number 3 can be unlucky as well depending on the situation and use. This number has more of a historic significance. Where East Asian and Western cultures blend, such as in Hong Kong, it is possible in some buildings that th… The opening ceremony commenced exactly at 8 minutes and 8 seconds past 8 pm on the 8th August, the 8th month of the 8th year of the 21st century. Contact us to know more!! We at China Highlights are eager to answer your questions on this topic or any other and can help you plan a trip in China that includes a traditional tour into the history of the country. Historians believe superstition surrounding the number 13 began in the 17th century, though they can't identify one singular event that sparked its bad reputation. While ghosts may be seen as omens, the ghost festival in the 7th month is widely celebrated. Copyright © 2017 TutorMing Chinese Language and Culture Blog. their way. Her other interests include reading, sewing, and educational outreach. Let us know in the comments! This is because many buildings in China not only omit the 13th floor, but are also missing any floor containing the number 4, which is considered to be the unluckiest number in Chinese culture. Chinese couples also want to catch this number for their babies. Would you ever buy a license plate just for the lucky numbers? The number 4 (四, pinyin: sì; Cantonese Yale: sei) is considered an unlucky number in Chinese because it is nearly homophonous to the word "death" (死 pinyin: sǐ; Cantonese Yale: séi). ", TutorMing Chinese Language and Culture Blog. In China, lucky numbers have pronunciations that are similar to words with lucky meanings. Meanwhile, Spanish people find Tuesday the 13th unlucky … Sometimes Chinese people prefer texting this to each other as opposed to saying the phrase, "I love you.". The above captures all you should know about lucky numbers. History, Chinese The company is backed by Alibaba, Softbank, Temasek, and Qiming Ventures. 7 (七), pronounced qi/ chi, is a number that symbolizes togetherness and harmony as its is considered to be the union of yin, yang and the five elements (described above) in Confucianism. Thus 8 is said to invite great wealth. It also means well-off. Chinese New Year Food: Top 7 Lucky Foods and Symbolism. In Buddhism, which is widely practiced in China, 3 is a significant number because it relates to the "three jewels", a foundational ideal. Businesses will also repeat words in names and slogans, hoping to bring good luck. 4 is the most unlucky number in China. Meanwhile, Spanish people find Tuesday the … 九 sounds just like 久 (jiǔ), which means “long lasting” and “eternity” in Chinese. A man in Hangzhou listed his license plate, A8888, for $140,000 online. When a couple gets engaged, the man customarily offers a gift to the girl's family which is usually money (RMB 6,666 and such) and this gift signifies a harmonious life for the couple. In case 13 makes you nervous, here are five other numbers to avoid. TutorGroup offers TutorMing for Chinese learning. London (CNN)Two hapless burglars have been arrested in the UK after accidentally pocket-dialing the police during their crime. The number 13 is considered unlucky for some in Western culture. At the same time, the number 4 is considered unlucky in Chinese culture because it sounds like the Chinese word for death. To a lesser extent 2, 6, and 9 are considered lucky. 8 sounds similar to the word 'Fa', which means to make a fortune. The Chinese believe that doubles bring blessings. In Taoist culture, 8 is associated with wholeness and completeness. Unlike in western culture where 666 is associated with the devil, multiples of 6 is good in Chinese culture. 9 (久), pronounced jiu, is a popular number, much like 6 and 8. Here's an image of the elevator for even-numbered floors where number 4 is not mentioned at all. Many decorations for celebrations come in pairs, and gifts are also given in even numbers. So if you … Chinese' fondness for 8 can be seen even in small things such as number plates. This is often combined with 520 to get 5201314, or “I love you forever”. This was in expectation of winning the most out of this global competition and gain success for the country. In China, the presence of the number 4 is avoided in most public settings; in addition to elevator buttons, addresses, ID numbers, phone numbers, license plates, and product names will usually omit the number 4 for fear of being attached to bad luck. The Qixi Festival (七夕節), also known as the Chinese Valentine's Day, falls on the 7th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar. & Referral Program. These eight directions are also used to explain individual destiny, as in Bazi (八字), a Chinese fortune-telling method that depicts one's life course according to the trigram of one's date of birth. This factor cascades down to the way products are priced in China as opposed to other countries and the cash amounts presented in red envelopes and other forms of gifting. (Eight is a particularly auspicious number in Chinese culture.) As many of you know, 13 is a dangerous number in the U.S. In the Chinese language, '8' appears in many auspicious expressions, which are often a combination of the traditional and modern meanings of the number. “If you’ll notice, we have flight 88 which is New York to Beijing. Number 8 holds huge significance as a lucky number. This gate contains 5 arches. Similarly in Spain, Friday the 13th isn’t feared but instead, Tuesday the 13th is seen as an unlucky date. She is fully fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and has always been fascinated with exploring her Taiwanese heritage. Seven is also seen as a lucky number for relationships. The number 250 is another set of digits that is used as an insult to call someone foolish or mock their intelligence in informal language. While the Chinese will go to great lengths to avoid 4 in daily life, they will try to incorporate 8 wherever they can. Many businesses display the number 6 to bring good fortune. In China, the fourth of the month is considered unlucky as the word for four in chinese sounds similar to death. But four is an unlucky number, so we make a point not to do that. 7 may also be considered unlucky because 七 sounds like 欺 , meaning “cheat”. Judith Syau is a contributing writer at TutorMing. 二百五 (èr bǎi wǔ) is the literal way to say 250 in Chinese but people instead say 'lǐang bǎi wǔ'. Interestingly, you will notice this in building elevators which usually omit this number. Not only is that the case, but Chinese people will specifically avoid unlucky numbers during big holidays, such as Chinese New Year, or before a big exam like the SAT or Gaokao. Associating '8' with money is believed to have originated in Cantonese culture, especially in Hong Kong - a business hub - and soon became popular in other parts of China, as the country and its people pursued economic development, and attained material gains and profits. 5 (五), pronounced wu, is associated with the five elements - earth, water, fire, wood, metal - which is regarded as the basis of the world in ancient Chinese culture and was associated with the Chinese emperor. spring wind from eight directions, expresses the wish that one gets luck wherever s/he goes, or whatever s/he is working on. Number 8 holds huge significance as a lucky number. The Chinese also use numbers with homophones for internet slang. In 2014, two number plates with "8888" were sold for RMB 12 million and RMB 17.2 million separately in Zhengzhou and Shenzhen, an amazingly high price. "Bamian chunfeng" (八面春风 '8 sides spring wind'), i.e. For English learning, it offers VIPABC, TutorABC, and TutorABCJr. The number 2The Chinese strongly believe in harmony and balance, hence even numbers naturally gain preference over odd numbers. Within that, revenue coming from China is now nearly 10% of the pie, Yahoo Finance has learned. People will go to extremes based on superstitions of the number 4. It's 4 that's unlucky in China: In Asia, 13 is just another number.