The Meaning Behind the Numbers

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Today's private lesson is absolutely worth writing an entire blog about.

Today I talked with my teacher about the differences that I see between Chinese and Americans, which was enjoyable in itself. Then we started telling each other jokes (really, he was telling jokes and I was laughing... regardless of whether I got it or not). I responded that I thought it was funny that my apartment building doesn't have a fourth, fourteenth, nor twenty fourth floor. Andy says that it's all about the Hong Kong landlords, and their superstitions... though I have noticed that it's definitely not just the HK'ers. For example, when Eric and I went to buy a SIM card for my phone, we noticed that there was a price difference. When Eric questioned the shop owner, she answered matter-of-factly: Well, yeah... the numbers are different. So, I chose the cheap, unlucky 70 yuan card over the uber-lucky 180 yuan one. So far, so good.

So, the rules (as explained by Andy in Mandarin, so no guarantees that I have this right) regarding numbers and luck in China:

4 is bad. It sounds like death. (Hence my building's omissions)
8 is good. It sounds like fortune.
518 is fantastic. Wu yao ba sounds like Wo yao fa = I want to make a fortune.
168 also fantastic. Yi liu ba sounds like Yi lu fa = One fortunate road (??)

And now for Chinese online jargon (all to do with #'s!):

131421 = yi san yi si er yi sounds like yi shen yi shi ai ni = One mountain, one century, love you (basically I will love you foreeever).
521 = wu er yi sounds like wo ai ni = I love you!
88 = ba ba sounds like BYE BYE!

So, 88 my friends. Til next time.

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Comments

[jon]

Yay
Love your blog :) and cheer's that you are having so much fun!.. i'll post my pics soon :) p.s. hope you get to wear those pretty earrings eventually. esp the ones we bargained for. lol~