Is 4 A Lucky Number In China
2021-12-14 by
Olivia
Combinations of the numbers above are also considered lucky numbers, such as 66 (88), 168, and 168. ‘one life one lifetime’) meaning “forever” and is often used romantically. “Nine die one live” means that there is a 90% chance of death and only 10% chance of survival. China Highlights creates custom-made China tours to help travelers discover China in their own way. We are a passionate group of 100 avid travelers who love sharing our knowledge about China with others looking for a more authentic experience.
Interestingly, you will notice this in building elevators which usually omit this number. Here’s an example of an elevator for floors with even numbers where number 4 is not mentioned.
Lucky and the Chinese Zodiac
It is therefore important for Chinese to choose a large number for important items such as wedding dates, moving dates, car license plates numbers, telephone numbers, etc. The lucky numbers are 3, 5, 8 and 8. 4 is considered unlucky. These beliefs are not exclusive to Chinese culture. Other countries with a history with Han characters have similar beliefs. A person’s 66th birthday is a special occasion.
Is China banning the number 4?
In Mainland China
The Chinese avoid phone numbers and addresses with fours because the pronunciation in “four” and “death” differ only in tone, especially when a combination with another number sounds similar to undesirable expressions. Example: “94” could be taken to mean that you are dead for a long period of time.
In Chinese, the pronunciation of 520 (Wu Er Ling wu er ling) bears some resemblance to wu ai ni (Wu Ai Ni ), which means ‘I love you’. 168 in Chinese (Yi Liu Ba Yi liu Ba) has a similar pronunciation as Yi Lu Fa, which is lucky and prosperous on the way to success.
Wu , Wu
Chinese people would like to choose ‘8’ as the time and/or date of important events. In 2014, the Australian Department of Home Affairs renamed their previous Business Skills visas, subclasses 160-165, to 188 and 888 Subclasses, both of which include eights. Numbers 4, 13 and 14 are omitted in some Chinese buildings.
Er Bai Wu (er Bai Wu) is the literal Chinese way to say 250. However, people prefer to use the ‘liang bai wu’ translation. Chinese believe in harmony and balance so even numbers are preferred over odd numbers. The lucky digit 0 is both a whole number and an even number, especially when it comes to money. In Chinese mythology, it is said that the Dragon has 9 children.
- It is well-known that Is a unlucky number, as Si sounds very similar to Si (si), which in Chinese means “death”.
- Sometimes Chinese people prefer texting this to each other as opposed to saying the phrase, “I love you.”
- Chinese people would like to choose ‘8’ as the time and/or date of important events.
- 6 (pronounced Liu ) is considered lucky because it sounds like the word “to flow”, and can signify smooth progress in your life.
- 8 is considered lucky and is favored by Chinese, as it has meaning in both modern and traditional cultures.
- This sums up all you need to know about lucky numbers.
- These numbers are considered lucky numbers when they are used to pay the amount of money in a red envelope (hongbao Hong Bao) for Chinese New Year celebrations or a wedding ceremony.
6 (Liu ), pronounced liu, is considered lucky as it sounds like the word that means ‘to flow’, and can indicate smooth progress in life. Similar to 8, 6, is preferred for number plates and phone numbers.
When a couple gets engaged, the man customarily offers a gift to the girl’s family which is usually money and this gift signifies a harmonious life for the couple. In China, lucky numbers have pronunciations that are similar to words with lucky meanings. In addition to these superstitions about numbers, fengshui (or the Chinese zodiac) can also dictate different luck numbers for different people and places. For Chinese New Year, banners are placed symmetrically on both sides of the door. Businesses will also repeat slogans and names of their customers in an effort to bring good fortune. Chinese love for 8 can also be seen in other instances, such as phone numbers, number plates and wedding dates.
This sums up all you need to know about lucky numbers. 7 (Qi ), 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 in Confucianism. Most Chinese people love the numbers 8, 2, 6 and 9.
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The 7th month is also known as the “ghost month” in China, where ghosts and spirits are believed to rise from hell to visit earth. Ghosts are often viewed as omens. However, the ghost festival is celebrated in the 7th month. 7 may also be considered unlucky because Qi sounds like Qi , meaning “cheat”. It is well-known that Si sounds similar to Si, which in Chinese means “death”. Did you know that when you press the Chinese elevator button to reach the 50th floor, you might actually be going to the 35th? 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.
The number 8 is viewed as such an auspicious number that even being assigned a number with several eights is considered very lucky. 555 (wu wu wu) represents Wu Wu Wu (wu wu wu), which is the sound of crying.
8 is considered lucky and favored by Chinese because it holds meaning in both traditional and modern cultures. 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.
It is significant because it is one the three most important stages of a person’s journey.
It is possible for the 13th floor and all floors with 4s to be omitted in buildings where East Asian and Western cultures mix, as in Hong Kong. A building with 100 floors would have only eighty-one floors. Similarly in Vietnamese, the number 4 (Si ) is called tu in Sino-Vietnamese, which sounds like tu (Si ) in Vietnamese. The Chinese are so obsessed with numbers that they will spend a lot of money to get “lucky numbers” in life.
Unlucky Numbers In China
While only a few numbers are considered unlucky in China, the number 4 is the most unlucky as it rhymes with the word that means death. This is observed in repeated characters in some brand names or gifts. 9 (Jiu ), pronounced jiu, is a popular number, much like 6 and 8. However, 13 (pronounced jiu) is a popular number in Chinese culture. It means ‘assured development’ or ‘definitely lively’.
4 is a well-known number that is unlucky. Si sounds very similar to Si (si), which in Chinese means “death”. People will go to extremes based on superstitions of the number 4.
San sounds similar to Sheng , which means “life” or “to give birth” in Chinese. Chinese culture puts emphasis on family and strong, healthy children, so Sheng has a positive connotation. In Buddhism, which is widely practiced in China, 3 is a significant number because it relates to the “three jewels”, a foundational ideal. 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. Alternatively, you can check out a great feature on our site that lets you create your own trip. Another set of numbers is 250. It is used to insult someone or mock their intelligence using informal language.
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New ventures or contracts are signed on dates that have 6 in them. These three numbers are seen as particularly lucky numbers when they are used as the sum of money put into a red envelope (hongbao Hong Bao ) for Chinese New Year or a wedding ceremony. The three numbers all express best wishes for a ‘smooth future life’. The number 3 can be unlucky as well depending on the situation and use.
For example, gifting to friends or to couples seldom contains the number 3 in any form of association. Three is pronounced ‘san’ which is similar to the word that means ‘to part ways’.
Chinese Numerology
Hangzhou man listed his license plate A8888 online for $140,000. 3 (San ), pronounced san, is considered lucky due to its similarity in sound to the word that means birth. This number also represents the three stages of life – birth, marriage and death – which adds to its significance in Chinese culture. In Chinese culture, people believe that lucky numbers can bring them good luck and fortune.