Chinese Lucky Numbers and What They Mean

Eight is the best-known lucky number. In Mandarin it is ba, which sounds close to fa, as in facai, to become wealthy. In Cantonese the two sounds, baat and faat, are closer still. As a result 8 is linked with prosperity and success.

A widely reported example is the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, which began on 8 August 2008 at 8:08:08 pm local time. Phone numbers and licence plates full of 8s are often sold at a premium in Chinese-speaking regions, and 888 is a popular way to wish someone triple good fortune.

Six, liu, sounds like the word for flowing, and is linked with things going smoothly. 66 and 666 are used to say that everything is going well, and online 666 has become slang for something impressive. This is the opposite of how 666 is often seen in Western culture.

Nine, jiu, sounds like the word for long-lasting, so it is linked with long life and enduring love. It was also associated historically with the emperor. Two is generally positive because good things are said to come in pairs, which is why doubled characters and paired gifts are common at weddings.

Four, si, sounds very close to the word for death, so it is widely considered unlucky. Some buildings in China and other parts of East Asia skip the fourth floor, or floors such as 14 and 24, and some people avoid 4 in phone numbers, addresses and plates.

Combinations can make it worse or better. 14 can sound like a phrase meaning certain death, while some people read 4 as fine in specific pairings. Attitudes vary by family, region and generation, and plenty of people do not mind it at all.

Seven has mixed meanings. Its sound, qi, can echo words for rising or for togetherness, and the Qixi festival on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month is a celebration of love. The seventh lunar month is also known as Ghost Month, so some people avoid it for big events. One is often linked with unity and being first, and three, san, sounds like the word for birth or life, especially in Cantonese.

Numbers are often combined to make phrases. 168, yi liu ba, is read as prosperity all the way. 518, wu yi ba, is heard as I will prosper. 520, wu er ling, sounds like wo ai ni, I love you, and is internet slang for romance, with 20 May becoming an unofficial day for couples. 888 means triple prosperity.

If you like these traditions, the generator's Custom mode lets you shape a draw to suit them. Enter 4 and numbers that contain it, such as 14, 24, 34 and 40 to 49, in the Never include box, and add 8 in the Always include box. The rest of the line is still chosen at random.

Remember that this changes how the line feels, not its chances. In a lottery every combination has the same odds, and nothing improves them. If you play, play only where it is legal for you and within a budget you have set in advance.