Numbers have always played a significant role in Chinese culture. Many people in China often associate numbers with a meaning of either bad or good luck. Over time, these numbers are taken into important consideration when making decisions in one’s daily life. For example, occasions like buying a specific numbered apartment, choosing a telephone number, selecting a date of a wedding ceremony, and picking an identification number for their vehicle. Lucky numbers are believed to bring them good luck in all aspects of life.
In China, even numbers are usually known for being more lucky than odd numbers. That is why gifts are known to be given in even numbers for the celebration of all occasions. The number 8 has long been regarded as the luckiest number in Chinese culture. With pronunciation of 8 in Chinese, 八 (bā). The character sounds similar to the word 发 (Fā), which means to make a fortune. It contains meanings of prosperity, success and high social status too. Therefore, most people in business favor this number very much.
Moreover, in some areas of China, people prefer to pay more money for a telephone number with 8 in it. They also favor residences on the eighth floor of buildings. Sounds pretty interesting, right? Well in the 1990s, a vehicle identification number with 8 was once auctioned off for more than half a million US dollars! Here’s another example. Remember how the Olympic games held in Beijing were in 2008? Well that was no coincidence. Something that you may not know is that the Beijing games were commenced at exactly 8:08 PM on the eighth day of the eighth month in 2008.
As you can clearly tell, the number 8 is viewed as something that is very special in China. The next time you go walking around, keep this idea in the back of your mind and it might lead to some pretty successful and prosperous conversations.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/world/asia/08iht-09china-web.15110615.html
It is so interesting to know that the number 8 is a lucky number. It is crazy that they want a telephone number with the number 8 in it. That is so fascinating that one number can have an immense impact on society in China.
I didn’t know that people in China were in love with the number 8 because 发 sounds like 八.
I’ve always known that the number 8 was a lucky number. But I was actually so surprised that it wasn’t actually a coincidence that the Olympics was held in Beijing on 2008. I definitely learned something new with this article!
Wow this is so cool. I know number 7 is a lucky number in American culture, but I never knew about number 8 being lucky in China! It is so interesting to see how this number has such a history and influences Chinese culture so much.
Great article! I never knew that eight was a lucky number in china. It was interesting to read about its history.
This is so fascinating. I never knew how a simple number can have such an impact on some people. I have always known that the number 4 was unlucky because it sounded similar to the word death, but I never knew anything about the lucky Chinese numbers.
Wow! I knew that I the number eight was a lucky number in China but I didn’t know that it has such a large impact on one’s daily life. Thank you for the great article!
我也很喜欢8这个数字。8也是我的幸运数字，因为我的生日里面有两个8。8的发音和发很像，所以大家都喜欢8这个数字。
Wow that’s so cool! I want to have a phone number with the number 8!
Great article Wesley! I didn’t know how much the lucky number “8” has impacted its society that much! Thanks for the info!
Nice job on this article Wesley! I never knew that the number 8 was lucky and that it had such a huge impact on society. Keep up the great work!
I never made the connection about the number 8 before! I thought the 2008 Olympics was merely a coincidence. This was very informative and an interesting read!
I never knew about why the number 8 was so significant in Chinese history! I found the 2008 Olympics event really humorous/fascinating. Great job on the article!
The meaning of the number 8 is very significant to the Chinese. In fact, all numbers are! Just as the number 8 is positive, the number 4 is negative. In Chinese, 4 sounds very similar to die. Great job, Wesley!
Love this article! No wonder my parents always ask for the number 8 when buying a new car! Thanks for sharing!
I never knew about the positive thoughts related to the number 8. This was very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work.
It’s very interesting how Chinese people like the number 8 because of what it sounds like in Chinese. I like the reason for liking the number 8 and I wonder if there are other things that Chinese people like because of what it sounds like.
I never knew any number was important in Chinese culture. It was very interesting to learn the reasoning behind why 8 is so significant.
What an interesting article. I knew that other cultures had numbers that have significant meanings but I didn’t know much about the lucky numbers in China. This was a fascinating read.
I never knew that China had a lucky number!!! That’s so cool. Very interesting how cultures have superstitions like this.
I like many Chinese people believe the number 8 is very special and you go out of their way to obtain something with the number 8 in it.
Wow! Considering all the times I’ve seen the number 8 in Chinese culture, I never noticed how much it truly was important to its history.
Wow! I knew that 8 was a lucky Chinese number, but I didn’t know the reason behind it was that it sounded similar to 发 . I also didn’t notice all those 8-related facts about the Beijing games! Great job!