| The Number 8...will Chinese still think it is lucky? | |
|---|---|
| May 18, 2008 10:14 |   |
 | As a teacher here in China this last week has been full of discussions and conversations centered around the earthquake and events this year leading up to the Olympics. One thing that more than a few students have brought to my attention is how the number 8, considered to be a lucky number here in China, has been anything but lucky this year. Here's some of their reasoning: Devastating Snow Storm 1/25/08 (1+2+5 = 8) Beginning of Lhasa Riot 3/14/08 (3+1+4 = 8) Sichuan Earthquake 5/12/08 (5+1+2 = 8) I'm haven't double-checked their dates, so I guess that could be incorrect, but despite their veracity there's no doubt that this year, 2008, has been unfortunately hard for China. Do you think that all of this might cast a shadow on the luckiness of the number 8 here in China? |
| May 18, 2008 14:32 | #1 |
| if u have chance to get reference on chinese superstitious theory, you will find 8 is no good, while 6 and 7 is the lucky ones and 10 is the perfect one. 8 is pronounced like upstart in Cantonese. Personally, i don't like this number at all. |
| May 18, 2008 19:42 | #2 |
| I have found plenty of reference material backing up the number 8 as both lucky and as unlucky. I'm not interested in the past, though. It is obvious how people felt about the luckiness of number 8 when they announced the beginning of the Beijing Olympics: 8/8/08. It even starts at 8pm, for goodness sakes! People couldn't stop telling me how wonderful and "lucky" that is. I wasn't aware that 7 and 10 were lucky - I did know about 6, though. I always thought it odd that people in China would love to have a phone number starting with "666" while back in the west such a number would probably be avoided as much as possible. |
| May 18, 2008 20:29 | #3 |
| Most people regard 8 as wealth because they sound similar. It is a funny phenomenon in China that you can see people spend a lot of money buying 888 or 666 as their license tag or pjone number. They regard these as their lucky number and will bring luck. And people don't like 4, because it sounds like death. I know some Western people don't like 13, they think it is unlucky. |
| May 18, 2008 20:32 | #4 |
| sorry, it is phone number ^_^ |
| May 18, 2008 21:22 | #5 |
| My favourite numbers are 3 and 7. As the horoscope suggests, 3 and 7 are my lucky numbers. Actually, I love 7 because many talented footballers' uniform number is 7, such as Raul, David Beckham and Figo. Chinese people do believe in number superstition. It is said that a cellphone number 13888888888 is worth 500 or 800 thousand yuan. |
| May 21, 2008 10:37 | #6 |
| My Lao Po said 4 and 7 are not liked numbers. It is all about pronuncation. Pronuncation of 4 and 7 is kinda same. She says 4 = die and 7 = fool (I did not find the words in Chinese) and their pronuncation is like same. 8 is most wanted and liked number according to her. Carlos |
| May 21, 2008 20:26 | #7 |
| The so-called lucky numbers are all about superstition. If 8 is a lucky number, China shouldn't be so unlucky this year. In 1998, the devastating flood almost submerged the Central China. Hopefully, the disaster has cracked the superstition. |
| May 21, 2008 21:58 | #8 |
| China is indeed unfortunate in 2008. However, I believe that China and its people will get through the hardships. The flood in 1998 and the snow storm at the beginning of this year have been conquered. So will be the earthquake. |
| May 22, 2008 08:46 | #9 |
| Perhaps, finally, after all cried tears, the disaster creates something good? Perhaps people are more united for some time. Carlos |
| May 29, 2008 00:47 | #10 |
| GUEST18117 | On April 2(8th), 2008 China Qingdao province, Zibo city rail crash also occurred; however, that is a stretch. |
Page 1 of 2 < Previous Next > Page:
Post a Reply to: The Number 8...will Chinese still think it is lucky?
Copyright © 1998-2024 All rights reserved.