How numbers can be written and pronounced in Cantonese?
Fun Facts about numbers in Chinese culture
There are numbers that are considered lucky and unlucky in Chinese culture, mostly due to superstitions and fengshui.
- Number 8 has long been regarded as the luckiest number. With the pronunciation like 'Ba' in Chinese, it sounds similar to the word 'Fa', which means to make a fortune or to be well-off. The most popular example of this belief is probably Beijing Olympic Games. The opening ceremony commenced exactly at 8 minutes and 8 seconds past 8 pm on the 8th August, the 8th month of the 8th year of the 21st century.
- Number 4 is considered unlucky number as it is pronounced like “Si”, death in Chinese. So Chinese people tend to avoid number 4 when buying a house, choosing license plate, phone numbers, etc.