Connotation of Numbers

Originally,numbers used in daily life only represent symbols.Apart from symbols,they mean nothing.But through using them over time,people endow them many additional connotations.

The Chinese prefer even numbers.They hope “good things should come in pairs”; they expect “two happy events to come at the same time”,and they wish to “make the best of both worlds”.Lovers care deeply about “mutual gratification”,and newly married couples hope to “fly side by side”.Chinese people bless respected elders by saying “I wish you happiness and longevity” and praise others with the words “May you be endowed with both beauty and talent”.In addition,the number of plates on a table should be even,especially for formal banquets.After consulting with a feng shui practitioner,the dates on which marriages are held should be decided according to the lunar and solar calendar.The bridal chamber must be decorated with scissor-cut paper shapes like Double Happiness (Chinese characters).

Connotation of Numbers

The Chinese like all even numbers with the exception of “4”,because it sounds like the pronunciation of the Chinese character “Si” (death).The Chinese always avoid using “4” in phone numbers or license plate numbers.It is even more taboo to use “4” and “7” one after another,because it sounds like the pronunciation “Qi Si (wife dead)” or “Si Qi (dead wife)”.Despite the unfortunate connotation of “4”,it is often used in other circumstances.“4” represents a stable tetrahedron.Chinese people always aspire to being “Si Ping Ba Wen” (“steady and cautious)” in order to avoid errors when speaking,writing and handling affairs.Relaxed,slow steps are called “Si Fang Bu” (“solemn measured steps)”.“4” has multifaceted meanings.Neighbors are referred to as “Si Lin”,and looking around is referred to as “Si Gu”.Convenient transportation is called “Si Tong Ba Da”,and places across the country or the world are called “Wu Hu Si Hai”.“Si Da Jie Kong” means everything in the world is empty.“4” also can be used to offer summaries in some instances.The human body contains “Si Zhi (limbs)”.Poetry can be written in the form of “Si Yan (Chinese classical poem with four characters each line)”.The Chinese language has “Si Sheng (four tones)”.“Si Ji” means four seasons.“Wen Fang Si Bao” refers to writing brushes,ink sticks,paper and inkstones.

“6” sounds like “Lu” of “Guan Lu” (“official position”),which refers to official prospects.“6” also has the meaning of smooth.After Spring Festival,Chinese people often travel by train on the 6th or 16th day of the lunar New Year,because of the saying: “Leave home on the 3rd,6th or 9th day”.People think it better to set out on these days.The use of the phrase “66 Dashun (smooth)” is popular in folk society.What is the relationship between “6” and “smooth”? There are many interpretations.“6” in the Book of Changes represents “Yin Yao” (negative trigram); “66” represents the “Kun” (trigram),and has the meaning of good luck.Others say: “6” sounds like the pronunciation of “Liu” as in “Shun Liu (smooth)”; “66” has the meaning of very smooth.For this reason,Chinese people will solemnly celebrate their 66th birthdays.There are many words which contain the character “Liu (6)”.For example: “Liu Shu (six categories of Chinese characters)” is important in word formation; “Liu Yi” refers to the six classical arts of learning; “Liu Jing” means the Six Classics of Confucianism; “Liu He” means east,west,south,north,up and down; “Liu Chu” refers to pigs,cattle,sheep,horses,chicken and dogs; “Liu Qin Bu Ren” means no ties of friendship; “Si Liu Bu Dong” means belittling others and being unreasonable.

“8” pronounces like the pronunciation of “Fa” in “Fa Cai” or “Fa Jia” (“becoming rich)”,and so represents prosperity and wealth.For this reason,Chinese people prefer to use “8” for the dates of weddings,business openings,birthday banquets,phone numbers and license plate numbers,etc.Even the prices of commodities in stores often end in “8”.For example: if the time is 5:18 or if it is May 18,it is lucky because it means “I want to get rich”; if the time is 9:18 or September 18,it is lucky because it means “I am going to get rich”.Chinese people like “8”,and often use it to summarize many things.For example: “Ba Xian” means the Eight Immortals in myths and legends; “Ba Gua” refers to the Eight Diagrams mentioned in divination; “Sheng Chen Ba Gua” means the date of birth and the eight characters of a horoscope used in fortunetelling; “Ba Bai Zhi Jiao” means a sworn brotherhood; “Ba Yin” refers to the eight categories of musical instrument in an ancient orchestra; “Ba Gu” refers to the famous eight-part essay; “Ba Hang” refers to octonary in letters; in calligraphy “Ba Fen” refers to the calligraphy style- Kai Li; “Si Shi Ba Jie” refers to solar terms and the four seasons; “Si Mian Ba Fang” refers to the places all around; “Ba Xian Guo Hai” means the full display of people’s abilities; “Ba Mian Ling Long” means the tactful handling of affairs; and “Ba Zi Mei Yi Pie” means there is no sign of a positive outcome.

“10” is a symbol of perfection.The number “10” is often used for the selection of outstanding people in all walks of life.For example,we often hear phrases like “Top 10 Outstanding Youth” and “Top 10 Models”,etc.“Shi Fen Hao” has the meaning of very good; “Shi Zu De Huang Jin” means gold which is very pure; “Shi Quan Shi Mei” has the meaning of perfection in every respect; “Shi Na Jiu Wen” means being very certain.“10” also has additional meanings,such as “Shi Shi Jiu Kong”,“Shi Nian Shu Mu”,“Shi Li Chang Ting” and so on.

Among odd numbers,“9” is the most popular for the following reasons: First,it pronounces likes “Jiu” in “Chang Jiu (lasting)”; second,it is the largest positive number (the ancients regarded odd numbers as positive,and even ones as negative).The emperor is known as “Jiu Wu Zhi Zun”,with the meaning of the imperial throne.In the Book of Changes,“Jiu Wu” is the fifth Yao of the Qian Diagram,and is the best.“9” means this Yao is positive,and represents an extremely positive and flourishing phase.Qian symbolizes heaven,so “Jiu Wu” represents the emperor.The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is called the Double Ninth Festival.“9” is a positive number,and two “9’” mean doubling the positive number.The Double Ninth Festival is also known as a Festival for the Elderly.“99” sounds like “Jiu Jiu (long)”,and has the meaning of praying for the health and longevity of the elderly.“9” also has the meaning of “many”.“Jiu” in “Jiu Si Yi Sheng” (”escape from death)”,“Jiu Niu Yi Mao” (”a drop in the bucket”),“Yi Yan Jiu Ding” (”a word which carries weight”) and “Jiu Niu Er Hu Zhi Li” (”making tremendous efforts”) is not directly definitive but rather has more referential meaning.Consequently,multiples of “9” also have the meaning of “many”,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Shi Ba Ban Wu Yi” (”skill in wielding the 18 kinds of weapons”),“Nu Da Shi Ba Bian” (”A girl changes fast in physical appearance from childhood to adulthood”),“San Bai Liu Shi Hang” (”masters in every walk of life”),and “Jiu Jiu Ba Shi Yi Nan” (”too many difficulties”) and so on.“9”also has the meaning of “high and deep”,which is reflected in the expressions “Jiu Xiao Yun Wai (”throw to the winds”) and “Jiu Quan Zhi Xia” (”dwelling place of the dead”).In civil society,Chinese people like counting dates based on units of “9”.Starting from the first day after the winter solstice,every nine days is regarded as one unit.They are called First Nine,Second Nine,Third Nine and so on.The coldest time is called “Shu Jiu Han Dong”.

The number “7” is rather mysterious.For example: “Bei Dou Qi Xing” refers to the Big Dipper; “Er Shi Ba Xing Xiu” refers to the 28 stars,which includes seven stars in all four directions; “Qi Xian Nv” refers to seven fairies; “Qi Se” means ”rainbow”; “Qi Yan” means a poem with seven characters in each line; “Jian An Qi Zi” refers to the seven scholars of Jian’an; “Zhu Lin Qi Xian” refers to the seven sages of the Bamboo Grove.“7” also has a romantic color.The 7th day of the 7th lunar month is called the Begging Festival.According to folk legend,the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid will meet on that day.The Begging Festival is seen as China’s Valentine’s Day.In abbreviated internet language,“7” is often used to mean “wife” because it sounds like the pronunciation of “Qi (wife)”,and “527” means that “I love my wife”.“7”is also a bit unlucky in some instances.According to Chinese custom,“Shao Qi (fete)” should be held after people’s death.It shall be counted based on units of “7 days” commencing from the date when the person died.They are called the “First Seven”,the “Second Seven”,the “Third Seven”,the “Fourth Seven”,the “Fifth Seven”,the “Sixth Seven”,and the“Last Seven (Seventh)”.The mourning platform shall be set up for the fete in the morning and evening.It will last 49 days.People have different sayings about the source of “Shao Qi (fete)”.But they are all related to the belief that the soul continues to exist after death.In addition,the linking of “7” and “8” has the meanings of excessive and messy,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Luan Qi Ma Zao” ( “in a mess”),“Heng Qi Shu Ma” (“in disorder”),“Qi Zui Ba She” (“gabble”),“Qi Shou Ba Jiao” (“in a bustle”),and “Qi Shang Ba Xia” (“an unsettled state of mind”),and so on.

“5” is at the center of all multiples of 10,and is the number which balances Yin and Yang.“5” represents all.The ancients called the Five Elements the “Wu Xing” - gold,wood,water,fire and earth - which they thought of as the basic elements making up the world.There were “Five Emperors” in ancient legend.The central emperor among the Five Emperors was the Yellow Emperor,the progenitor of the Chinese nation.The “Earth of Five Colors” on the altar refers to the earth of five colors (green,red,yellow,white,black) selected from five directions,namely east,south,centre,west and north.Earth is selected from the whole country.“Wu Yin” refers to five tones,namely Gong,Shang,Jiao,Zhi and Yu.“Wu Wei” refers to the five flavours (sweet,sour,bitter,pungent,and salty).“Wu Zang” refers to the five internal organs (heart,liver,spleen,lungs and kidneys).“Wu Fang” refers to the five directions,namely east,west,south,north and centre.“5” has the meaning of “whole”.“5” also has the meaning of “various”.“Wu Cai Bin Fen” means being suffused with color.“Wu Guang Shi Se” has the meaning of bright colors and a variety of styles.“Wu Hua Ba Men” has the meaning of various and changing patterns.“Wu Hang Ba Zuo” means all walks of life.

“3” has the meaning of “many”,which is reflected in expressions such as “San Ren Xing Bi You Wo Shi” (“there is always someone to learn from”),“Wu Ri San Xing Wu Shen” (“Every day I examine myself time and again”),and “San Si Er Hou Xing” (“be prudent”).“San Bu Guan” means “nobody cares”; “San Bu Zhi” means “knowing nothing”; “San Chang Liang Duan” refers to an unexpected misfortune especially death.The linking of “3” and “5” means many times or a large number in general,which is reflected in expressions such as “San Fan Wu Ci” (“repeated”),“San Ling Wu Shen” (“repeated orders”),“San Wu Cheng Qun” (“in knots”),and “San Nian Wu Zai” (“in a few years”).“San Xin Er Yi” has the meaning of shaky will or inattentiveness.“San Yan Liang Yu” means “few words”.

“1” is the beginning of all things.“Jiu Jiu Gui Yi” means ending in a new start.“1” also has the meaning of being complete and unified,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Yi Tong Tian Xia” (“unify the whole country”),“Si Hai Gui Yi” (“unify”),and “Wan Zhong Yi Xin” (“all the people of one mind”).“1” also means being the most important.For example: “Yi Ba Shou” means the chief principal unit; “Yi Piao Fou Jue” means a one-vote veto which can be conducted in extreme cases.“1” also means being solemn and sacred.Some Chinese commemoration days of a political nature are on the first day of some months.For example: the day when the Chinese Communist Party was founded was July 1; the day when the PLA was established was August 1; the day when the People’s Republic of China was founded was October 1.