Talk:Chinese numerology

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Contradictions in article

How can 4, 6 and 7 be in both the "lucky" and "unlucky" numbers column? I think the lucky number section needs to be split up more depending on the geograhical lay of china and attributing that number's qualities to specific regions. Otherwise this issue makes the article look like a nonsense due to its lumping of many disparate regions and cultures into the one label of "chinese". 196.2.111.85 (talk) 12:50, 11 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I came from a region of China where 4 was considered lucky, but people there avoid it now to "not offend" people from other regions of China. Nevertheless, separating regions is near impossible considering how much credible references there are for this thing. Some of the difference is rooted in interpretation. E.g. The number 7, both the lucky and unlucky aspects are derived from the same story/idea, just different interpretation. --Voidvector (talk) 12:14, 2 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Typical contradictory Wikipedia article; the classic case of too many hands messing it up. IMHO the article needs one list showing the numbers that are considered lucky OR unlucky by the majority of Chinese, and then a subsection detailing regional discrepancies. Or just get rid of the binary lucky/unlucky classification and discuss each number in turn, detailing its interpretations and explaining contradictions where they arise. Gunstar hero (talk) 17:39, 19 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Look at the intro mate "different pronunciation in various dialects". 110.174.12.47 (talk) 02:26, 13 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

?

Just a suggestion, but I think the page would be less misleading if it were split into dialects first then followed by its individual categories. --218.111.19.37 19:06, 8 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

This page ignores the fact that the number four is traditionally lucky in some Chinese dialects, such as Teochew. Eight is also bad luck in Chinese divination. Well that's what a Taoist priest told me.

"The number 4 is considered lucky in some regions of China" - in what regions? I heard about Teochew, any other?

I note that 6, 7, and 9 in Cantonese have bawdy meanings especially when used in combination.. is it possible that that is where 69 gets some of it's blue meaning in English?? the influance of cross culture effect should be included if it can be documented

Seven

I have added that a Cantonese (and possibly other cultures) avoid serving meals with seven dishes, as this is what is served at a funeral meal. I'm not sure if this is "Unlucky" per se. I would also like to find a better reference and maybe a reasoning for it, Caffm8 16:37, 7 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The number 3?

Can I ask why there's nothing on the number 3?? Is it considered lucky or unlucky? or nothing?

By the way, I was born in 1984, so I guess by Chinese standards I will have bad luck for the rest of my life! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Punkymonkey987 (talk • contribs) 06:42, 8 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Yes I think this is a glaring ommission. Bad form! :p 196.2.111.85 (talk) 12:51, 11 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

三八

I heard that 三八 is no particularly positive combination. Can anyone confirm this? Yaan (talk) 15:07, 14 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

See Mandarin Chinese profanity --Voidvector (talk) 23:48, 15 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

520 or 521?

http://www.china2learn.com/board/show.php?qID=10786

Not sure about what is mean "I love you", 520 or 521. -- 202.28.27.6 (talk) 05:24, 21 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Both are fine, depends on the dialect. I think 520 is closer in Mandarin (and more popular according to Google). --Voidvector (talk)

2

Is said how exactly, as " ye, as in the letter "r" " is utter nonsense... --91.84.200.229 (talk) 14:35, 15 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

LOL, actually both are correct, "ye" is closer to the Cantonese pronunciation, "er" is closer to the mandarin pronunciation. I reverted it to a version that use consistent pronunciation. --Voidvector (talk) 20:23, 15 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Nokia and Palm

Nokia is a Finnish company... Palm is an American company. Why are these used as examples? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.231.120.222 (talk) 02:01, 28 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

It claims that those version numbers are skipped due to Chinese culture influence. I highly doubt it. --Voidvector (talk) 02:30, 28 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Dumb!

Chinese people are dumb. 4 and 14 are lucky numbers, whether 7 is unlucky! 79.132.31.212 (talk) 15:21, 1 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Bellagio

The Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas doesn't have a fourth floor, presumably because they have many Asian customers. They also don't have a 13th floor, which is more traditional in the West. This might be worked into the article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Grr (talk • contribs) 01:39, 7 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Whoever can access to these articles, please add the info accordingly...

--222.64.208.16 (talk) 10:14, 28 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"the greatest single-digit Chinese number is ten (十)"

What?

How about 千 (thousand)? How about 万 (10 thousands) and 亿 (100 million)? Am I missing some point here? Seldwiki (talk) 18:09, 8 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I've changed it to largest which is maybe clearer. As for those you would normally say, as in English, "one thousand", i.e. 一千, and so on.--JohnBlackburne^words_deeds 18:40, 8 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Correlation in other Asian cultures

It should be added that the superstitions around numbers in China are also found in other East Asian cultures. Japan, for example, like China, has many buildings without 4th, 14th, 24'th, etc. floors because shi can mean both four and death. 142.26.194.190 (talk) 17:26, 8 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

"Some Chinese today believe that eight is lucky (or believed by others to be lucky) because it is the largest single-digit (Arabic) number. However, this does not derive from any Chinese tradition, as the largest single-digit Chinese number is ten (十)." This didn't even begin to make sense. Accordingly, I changed 'eight' to nine.