八

• Pinyin: bā
• Hanzi breakdown: 八 = pictograph of two strokes diverging, originally meaning 'to divide'

Meaning

Eight. The number eight, considered very lucky in Chinese culture.

Pronounced similarly to 发 (fā, to prosper), making 八 the luckiest number in Chinese culture. It appears everywhere from phone numbers to business names to wedding dates.

Examples

1. 现在是八点半。 It's half past eight now.
2. 他今年八岁了。 He's eight years old this year.
3. 我家有八口人。 There are eight people in my family.

Usage Guide

Context: number, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我住在八楼。(I live on the eighth floor.)
• 八月份我去旅行。(I'm going on a trip in August.)

Don't Say

• 我有八百八十八块钱。(Grammatically fine, but if boasting about the lucky number, it may seem superstitious to some)

Origin & History

A pictograph showing two lines diverging outward, representing the concept of splitting or dividing. The original meaning was 'to separate', later borrowed for the number eight.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal