Chinese Number Slang Explained | From Death to Love to Fool ☠️❤️🤪 Artwork

China Myth Podcast

China Myth Podcast is a self-produced immersion experience of my journey through the fascinating and misunderstood dilemmas of Chinese business culture - a reaction, a behavior, even a suggestion - and asks whether I could have achieved a better outcome with a different attitude, mindset, and approach. Because sometimes, learning how to listen is a lost art of communication.

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China Myth Podcast

Chinese Number Slang Explained | From Death to Love to Fool ☠️❤️🤪

September 02, 2025 • Gene Hsu

Chinese numbers are more than just math—they’re full of meanings, superstitions, and slang expressions that reveal how Chinese people think, feel, and communicate.

In this episode of ABC in the Middle, I’ll walk you through the most commonly used Chinese number slangs, from unlucky 4 (四) and lucky 8 (八), to love messages like 520 (I love you), 521 (I'm willing), and even the not-so-nice 250 (idiot).

You'll learn:

Why Chinese buildings skip the 4th floor
Why license plates with 8s sell for millions
How to say "I love you forever" in just 7 digits
Why calling someone 250 (èr bǎi wǔ) is not a compliment
And how number slangs are used on WeChat and social media

Each number is explained with pronunciation, cultural psychology, and real-world examples—so you can use them confidently and avoid awkward misunderstandings.

Watch all videos: https://youtube.com/@chinamyth

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