Chinese Culture
Chinese Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Explained
By the 17Talk teaching team - certified Mandarin teachers, 8+ years of classroom experience, 3,500+ students in 40 countries
Last updated:
Quick answer
8 (bā) sounds like 'prosper' and is the luckiest number. 6 (liù) suggests smooth progress. 9 (jiǔ) sounds like 'long-lasting' and is popular for weddings. 4 (sì) sounds like 'death' and is avoided — many buildings have no 4th, 14th or 24th floor. Amounts and gifts should be even, and 4 avoided.
The lucky ones
8 — 发 (fā), to prosper. Hence 888 in prices, phone numbers and car plates, and the Beijing Olympics opening on 8/8/08 at 8pm. 6 — 顺 (shùn), smooth and untroubled. 9 — 久 (jiǔ), long-lasting, so it appears in wedding dates and romantic gifts.
The one to avoid
4 — 死 (sǐ), death. Many buildings omit the 4th floor entirely, and 14 and 24 get skipped too. You will also see phone numbers and property prices react to it. When choosing a gift quantity or a cash amount, avoid four.
Where it shows up
Prices (¥88, ¥188, ¥888), red envelope amounts, wedding dates, house numbers, and licence plates. Companies pay real money for a phone number full of 8s. It is not superstition at the margins — it moves markets.
How to use this without being weird
You do not need to plan around it. Just notice it: choose 8 or 6 if you are picking a number anyway, avoid 4 for gifts, and pick an even amount. Saying 恭喜发财 around New Year already lands well; nobody expects a foreigner to memorise numerology.
The numbers, and what they actually mean
| Number | Reads like | Meaning | Where you notice it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | ba - sounds like 'prosper' | Wealth, good fortune | Prices, phone numbers, licence plates, launch dates |
| 6 | liu - 'smooth' | Things going well | Wedding dates, opening days |
| 9 | jiu - 'long-lasting' | Longevity, enduring love | Wedding gifts, birthdays |
| 4 | si - sounds like 'death' | Avoided | Buildings skip the 4th, 14th and 24th floors |
| 7 | qi | Neutral in most of China; unlucky in some regional and Buddhist contexts | Do not assume it is avoided everywhere |
Numbers and money: what it means when you are buying
Price endings carry meaning. A price ending in 8 is chosen to be auspicious, which is why 188 and 888 appear far more often than they would by chance. If you are haggling in a market, offering an amount ending in 8 reads as friendly rather than cheap.
When giving a red envelope, four is the number to avoid. Common choices are 88, 188 or 888 for celebration, and amounts ending in 6 or 9 for occasions about smooth progress or long relationships. Even numbers are preferred overall, with four being the exception that proves the rule.
Common questions
What is the luckiest number in China?
8, because it sounds like 发 (fā), to prosper. It appears in prices, phone numbers and licence plates.
Why is 4 unlucky?
四 (sì) sounds close to 死 (sǐ), meaning death. Many buildings skip 4, 14 and 24 as floor numbers.
Is 13 unlucky in China?
No — that is a Western convention. In China the numbers with strong associations are 8, 6 and 9 on the lucky side, and 4 on the unlucky side.
Read next
- Chinese New Year: Etiquette and Customs a Visitor Should Know
- Chinese Table Manners: What to Do and What to Avoid
Sources
- Number symbolism described here is widely documented in Chinese cultural practice and observed in everyday commerce across mainland China.
- 17Talk teaching team: examples drawn from real prices, phone numbers and wedding dates encountered in China, 2025-2026.
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