When I moved into a new apartment in Shanghai, the building had no 4th floor. It also had no 14th floor, no 24th floor, and no 34th floor. The elevator buttons skipped them all — 3 jumped straight to 5, 13 to 15, and so on. At the same time, the phone shop across the street was advertising a number ending in 88888 for the price of a small motorcycle. That was the week I realized that numbers in China are not neutral. They carry weight, and people act on that weight in ways that are both deeply traditional and completely practical.
Whether a number is lucky or unlucky usually comes down to what it sounds like. This is called homophonic superstition — a word that sounds like another word inherits its meaning. It is the same logic that makes some Western buildings skip the 13th floor, but in Chinese the system is much more extensive. It shapes building numbers, license plate auctions, wedding dates, product pricing, and even the timing of national events.
8 and 4 — the two numbers that matter most
The word for eight, 八 (bā), is a near-rhyme of 发 (fā), a verb meaning to prosper, to get rich, or to develop. It is the most universally beloved number in Chinese culture. The 2008 Beijing Olympics opened at 8:08 PM on August 8, 2008 — a date and time chosen entirely for its density of 8s. Phone numbers heavy in 8s are auctioned for large sums. A string ending in 88888 is a status symbol. Businesses name themselves with 8s, and August 8th is one of the most popular wedding dates in the country. In text messaging, 88 (bā bā) doubles as bye bye — a phonetic loan from English that also happens to be doubly lucky.
The word for four, 四 (sì), is a near-homophone for 死 (sǐ), meaning death. The tones differ — sì is a sharp fall, sǐ is a dip-then-rise — but the similarity is close enough that the number absorbed the word's ominous meaning. This is called tetraphobia, and its effects are visible everywhere. Elevator panels skip the 4th, 14th, and 24th floors. Hospitals avoid 4 in room and bed numbers. License plates with 4s sell for less than identical plates without them. Giving a gift in a set of four — four teacups, four flowers — reads as a death omen and is a genuine social mistake.
The aversion is less intense among younger urban Chinese than among older generations, but the practical consequences are real. A 4-heavy phone number has lower resale value. A product priced at ¥444 would be marketing poison regardless of the target demographic.
The rest of the numbers
Nine — 九 (jiǔ) — sounds like 久 (jiǔ), meaning a long time or everlasting. It appears frequently in romantic contexts: 99 suggests a couple will stay together forever, and 999 intensifies it to eternity. Historically, 9 was also associated with the Emperor — the Forbidden City was said to contain 9,999 rooms — giving it a secondary connotation of imperial authority that can feel formal or grandiose in everyday use.
Six — 六 (liù) — sounds like 溜 (liù), meaning smooth or flowing. It is a workhorse lucky number: 66 means everything goes smoothly, and 666 is internet slang for awesome or skilled — the exact opposite of its Western meaning. Red envelope amounts and phone numbers frequently use 6 alongside 8.
Three — 三 (sān) — sounds like 生 (shēng), to be born or to live. Generally neutral-to-positive, without strong associations in either direction. Seven — 七 (qī) — is the odd one out. In Western cultures 7 is lucky; in Chinese it is ambiguous. It sounds like 欺 (qī), to cheat or bully, which gives it a mild negative tinge. More significantly, the seventh month of the lunar calendar is Ghost Month, when spirits are traditionally believed to roam the earth. Seven does not carry the same hard avoidance as 4, but it is rarely chosen for celebrations.
Number combinations as shorthand
Because so many numbers have phonetic associations, stringing them together creates coded messages. 520 (wǔ èr líng) sounds close enough to 我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) that May 20th became an informal Valentine's Day. 1314 (yī sān yī sì) sounds like 一生一世 (yīshēng yīshì), for a lifetime, so 5201314 means I love you forever. 88 is bye bye. 168 means prosperity all the way. 518 means I want to get rich. 7456 means I am so angry. These are not secret codes — anyone under 40 in China recognizes them instantly.
The older layer from the I Ching
Beyond homophony, there is an older layer of number symbolism that comes from the I Ching (易经, Yì Jīng), or Book of Changes. In the I Ching cosmology, odd numbers are yang (阳) — active, masculine, associated with heaven, light, and good fortune — while even numbers are yin (阴) — receptive, feminine, associated with earth, darkness, and stillness. This is why gifts of money in red envelopes are typically given in odd-numbered amounts for celebrations, while even-numbered amounts are reserved for funerals.
The homophonic meanings of 8 and 4 came later and are layered on top of this older framework. A number like 9 is doubly auspicious: it is both the highest yang digit and a homophone for everlasting. A number like 4 carries a double burden: it is both even and a near-homophone for death itself.
A building developer who skips the 4th floor is not necessarily superstitious — buyers will pay less for it regardless. A brand choosing a launch date on August 8th is not making a spiritual statement; it is good PR. The system runs on cultural momentum as much as genuine belief, especially among younger generations.
Practice Chinese numbers with audio →Master 1–99 in Mandarin with our free interactive tool. Tap any number to hear it spoken — learn to spot the lucky (and unlucky) digits by ear.