In China, lucky numbers have pronunciations that are similar to words with lucky meanings. Number 8 holds huge significance as a lucky number. To a lesser extent 2, 6, and 9 are considered lucky. 4 is the most unlucky number in China.
The numbers 2, 3, 6, and 8 are generally considered to be lucky, while 4 is considered unlucky. These traditions are not unique to Chinese culture, with other countries with a history of Han characters also having similar beliefs stemming from these concepts.
In the traditional Chinese culture, Seven represents the combination of Yin, Yang and Five Elements (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth). This combination is considered as “harmony” in the ideology of Confucianism. While in Chinese Taoism, it stands for Tao which has a close connection with kindness and beauty.
8 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture because his pronunciation “Ba” sounds similar to the word “fa”, which means to make fortune. The number 8 is associated with wealth, prosperity, success and status and for this reason business men favor it very much.
Five — this is a lucky number and is usually link to the five elements which are wood, earth water fire and metal. This number is usually linked to the Emperor of China as well and the Tienanmen gate.
6 (六), pronounced liu, is considered lucky as it sounds like the word that means 'to flow', and can indicate smooth progress in life. It also means well-off. Similar to 8, 6 is preferred in number plates and phone numbers.
7 七, QĪ- LUCKY/UNLUCKY
Like 5, 7 has both positive and negative connotations in Chinese culture. For the positive side, 七 sounds like both 起 (qǐ), which means “start” or “rise”, and also 气 (qì), which means “vital energy”. Seven is also seen as a lucky number for relationships.
555 "(crying)". 555 (pinyin: wǔwǔwǔ) represents 呜呜呜 (pinyin: wūwūwū) the sound of tearful crying, but it is not towards the feeling of sadness, but more of pitiful. 666 – "cool" or "nice."
Even so, the number 13 is not to be considered unlucky because, in Chinese Mandarin, the number 13 translates to 'assured growth' or 'definitely vibrant,' which goes to show that the number 13 is an auspicious number in Chinese culture.
In Japan, the two main lucky numbers are seven (七) and eight (八). Curiously, unlike four, the reasons behind the two's luck have nothing to do with their pronunciation. Seven is a lucky number in Japan largely because of its significance in Buddhism.
777 in Chinese means you need to come together with others. The number 7 in Chinese is 七 and means togetherness. Additionally, the number 7 is the combination of Yin and Yang with the elements water, fire, metal, earth, and wood, which give the number a separate meaning of harmony.
The Chinese language is rich in homophones, which makes it easy to turn numbers into proxies for words and phrases, like 88 (bābā) or 'bye-bye. ' That explains why 666 (liùliùliù) refers to the Chinese word for smooth or skilled (溜, liù) instead of the devil.
Featured throughout the collection are the numbers “8888,” “168,” and “777,” representing fortune, wealth, and prosperity. Giving the gift of Lucky Money is part of a rich tradition celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, as well as special occasions like weddings, birthdays, and the arrival of new babies.
The number 8 is considered the luckiest of numbers in China and they believe the more 8's the better. The Cantonese word for eight, which is pronounced “ba”, sounds similar to the word which means “prosper” or “wealth”. In regional dialects the words for “eight” and “fortune” are also similar.
Lucky number 7 is even the basis for many myths and folklore. Ancient beliefs from around the world believed that the seventh son of the seventh son would be gifted with magical powers (both good and evil).
12 represents the harmony of the yin and yang: In Chinese numerology, one is a yang number, ruled by the sun and symbolizing independence and individualism. Two is a yin number ruled by the moon and represents symmetry and balance. Together in the number 12: harmony.
📢 When Chinese lucky numbers became slang
As a result, you will see 6 (liù) used online very often. It's become a new Internet slang word meaning “great”. So don't worry if the locals tell you that your Chinese is so “six”. They're just saying it's great!
But the number four is considered unlucky because it sounds a lot like the word for “death,” and as a result Chinese buildings often lack a fourth floor (just as American buildings sometimes skip the 13th). Likewise, Chinese drivers avoid license plates ending in four.
While in Mandarin-speaking regions in China, 14 and 74 are considered more unlucky than the individual 4, because 14 (十四, pinyin: shí sì) sounds like "is dead" (是死, pinyin: shì sǐ) and because in some forms of the language, 1 is pronounced (yao) which sounds like (yào 要), which means will be, when combined, it sounds ...
One of the less common angel numbers, 444 is considered lucky in Western cultures but has a slightly negative connotation in South-Asian countries like China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam. The number four is related to death in their cultures, and it phonetically sounds like the word for death in the Japanese language.
In Chinese numerology, 888 usually means triple fortune, as a form of strengthening of the digit 8. On its own, the number 8 is often associated with great fortune, wealth and spiritual enlightenment. Hence, 888 is considered triple.
Gambling and luck
777 is used on most slot machines in the United States to identify a jackpot. As it is considered a lucky number, banknotes with a serial number containing 777 tend to be valued by collectors and numismatists.
In the Realm of Numerology, the Five Luckiest Numbers are Considered to be 3, 7, 9, 11, and 13.
In feng shui, the number 4 meaning is considered unlucky since the word sounds like the Cantonese word for death. This is the only reason it is dubbed unlucky. The Chinese avoid using the number 4 in all areas of life, not wishing to invite the bad luck associated with this number.