Eight
Overview
Eight's reading is phonetic and strong: it sounds like the word for prospering, which is why it dominates phone numbers, addresses and opening dates.
Meaning
Eight is the most reliably auspicious number — its sound is close to the word for prosperity or increase.
Traditional Interpretation
Sources also use eight structurally — the eight trigrams being the principal example — but the popular reading is the phonetic one.
Related Concepts
FAQ
What does eight symbolize in Chinese tradition?
Eight is the most reliably auspicious number — its sound is close to the word for prosperity or increase. Eight's reading is phonetic and strong: it sounds like the word for prospering, which is why it dominates phone numbers, addresses and opening dates.
Why is eight treated as significant?
The reading usually rests on sound and on cosmology rather than on quantity. Eight is the most reliably auspicious number — its sound is close to the word for prosperity or increase. The trigrams give eight a separate and older structural role, and the two readings reinforce each other rather than conflicting as four's do.
How is eight read in Chinese tradition?
Sources also use eight structurally — the eight trigrams being the principal example — but the popular reading is the phonetic one. It is grouped under Earth (土) in the five-element system.
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