numbers in Chinese culture
n Chinese tradition, certain numbers are believed by some to be auspicious (吉利) or inauspicious (不利) based on the Chinese word that the number name sounds similar to. The numbers 0, 6, 8, and 9 are believed to have auspicious meanings because their names sound similar to words that have positive meanings.
Contents
[hide]
1 Lucky numbers
1.1 Zero
1.2 Two
1.3 Three
1.4 Five
1.5 Six
1.6 Seven
1.6.1 Forty-nine
1.7 Eight
1.8 Nine
2 Unlucky numbers
2.1 Four
2.2 Five
2.3 Six
3 Combinations
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Lucky numbers[edit]
Zero[edit]
The Number 0 (零 or 檸, Pinyin:líng or níng) is a whole number and it is also an even number for the money ends with 0.
Two[edit]
The number 2 (二 or 两, Pinyin:èr or liăng) is most often considered a good number in Chinese culture. There is a Chinese saying: "good things come in pairs". It is common to repeat characters in product brand names, such as double happiness, which even has its own character 囍, a combination of two 喜. In Cantonese, two (jyutping: ji6 or loeng5) ishomophone of the characters for "easy" (易) and "bright" (亮). In Northern China, the number, when used as an adjective, can also mean "stupid".[1]
Three[edit]
The number 3 (三, Pinyin: sān, jyutping: saam1) sounds similar to the character for "birth" (生, Pinyin: shēng, jyutping: saang1), and is considered a lucky number.[citation needed] The number 3 is significant since there are three important stages in a man’s life (birth, marriage and death).
Five[edit]
The number 5 (五, Pinyin: wŭ) is associated with the five elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Wood, and Metal) in Chinese philosophy, and in turn was historically associated with theEmperor of China. For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches. It is also referred to as the pronoun "I"[citation needed], as the pronunciations of "I" (我, Pinyin: wŏ, and 吾, Pinyin: wú) and 5 are similar in Mandarin.
Six[edit]
The
Contents
[hide]
1 Lucky numbers
1.1 Zero
1.2 Two
1.3 Three
1.4 Five
1.5 Six
1.6 Seven
1.6.1 Forty-nine
1.7 Eight
1.8 Nine
2 Unlucky numbers
2.1 Four
2.2 Five
2.3 Six
3 Combinations
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Lucky numbers[edit]
Zero[edit]
The Number 0 (零 or 檸, Pinyin:líng or níng) is a whole number and it is also an even number for the money ends with 0.
Two[edit]
The number 2 (二 or 两, Pinyin:èr or liăng) is most often considered a good number in Chinese culture. There is a Chinese saying: "good things come in pairs". It is common to repeat characters in product brand names, such as double happiness, which even has its own character 囍, a combination of two 喜. In Cantonese, two (jyutping: ji6 or loeng5) ishomophone of the characters for "easy" (易) and "bright" (亮). In Northern China, the number, when used as an adjective, can also mean "stupid".[1]
Three[edit]
The number 3 (三, Pinyin: sān, jyutping: saam1) sounds similar to the character for "birth" (生, Pinyin: shēng, jyutping: saang1), and is considered a lucky number.[citation needed] The number 3 is significant since there are three important stages in a man’s life (birth, marriage and death).
Five[edit]
The number 5 (五, Pinyin: wŭ) is associated with the five elements (Water, Fire, Earth, Wood, and Metal) in Chinese philosophy, and in turn was historically associated with theEmperor of China. For example, the Tiananmen gate, being the main thoroughfare to the Forbidden City, has five arches. It is also referred to as the pronoun "I"[citation needed], as the pronunciations of "I" (我, Pinyin: wŏ, and 吾, Pinyin: wú) and 5 are similar in Mandarin.
Six[edit]
The
References: 2. Jump up^ "China 's 'lucky ' phone number". BBC News. 2003-08-13. Retrieved 24 December 2013. 3. ^ Jump up to:a b "Patriot games: China makes its point with greatest show" by Richard Williams, The Guardian, published August 9, 2008 4