Lucky numbers
Chinese lucky numbers run on sound. 8 sounds like wealth, 4 sounds like death.
Read a number by its sound
Say it aloud
Meaning comes from sound. 8, ba, comes close to fa, to prosper. The match is even closer in Cantonese.
Read digit by digit
Strings make phrases. 168 reads as yi lu fa, prosper all the way. 1314 sounds like one lifetime. 14 can sound like want to die.
Spot it around you
Many buildings skip the 4th and 14th floors. Phone numbers and license plates full of 8s are in demand.
In Chinese, a number is also a word.
Lucky numbers are a custom about sound. They do not change the odds, so never lean on them for gambling or money decisions.
Good to know
What is the luckiest number in Chinese culture?
Eight is the best-known lucky number, because ba sounds close to fa, to prosper. The Beijing Olympics opened on 8/8/2008 at 8:08 pm.
Why is 4 unlucky in China?
Because si, four, sounds like the word for death, with only the tone changed. Many people avoid it on gifts, addresses and floors.
What does 520 mean in Chinese?
520 means I love you, because wu er ling sounds close to wo ai ni. May 20 has become a popular day for couples online.
