Why Never Give a Clock to a Chinese Person? 🇨🇳

In China, luck is not a matter of chance: it's a science. Every number, every color, every gesture has a precise meaning, inherited from thousands of years of traditions. Here, you don't choose your phone number at random, you don't wear just any color, and above all, you never give certain gifts.

The number 8 can skyrocket an apartment's price, the number 4 can make it plummet, and giving someone a clock can ruin a friendship. Welcome to the Middle Kingdom, where superstitions structure the daily life of more than a billion people. 🧧

In Chinese, the number 8 is pronounced "ba" (八), which sounds very similar to "fa" (发), meaning "fortune" or "prosperity". Result: 8 is considered the most lucky number in all of China.

Examples abound: the Beijing Olympics started on 08/08/2008 at 08:08. Phone numbers containing multiple 8s sell for gold. License plates with 8s are highly sought after. An apartment on the 8th floor will cost more than one on the 7th or 9th.

In some cities, phone numbers with multiple consecutive 8s can cost tens of thousands of euros. It's a true economy of luck.

Like in Japan, the number 4 is feared in China. It's pronounced "si" (四), which sounds exactly like "死" (si), meaning "death". It's the number to absolutely avoid.

In many Chinese buildings, you won't find a 4th floor, no room 4, no 14th floor (which contains a 4). They go directly from 3 to 5, or from 13 to 15. Phone numbers containing too many 4s are shunned, and real estate prices drop for apartments located on floors containing a 4.

Some combinations are particularly frowned upon: 14 ("certain death"), 24 ("easy to die"), or 74 ("die of anger"). Avoid at all costs!

If you had to remember one rule for giving a gift in China, it would be this: NEVER give a clock. It's considered the worst possible gift, worse even than a knife or a handkerchief.

Why? Because "giving a clock" is said "送钟" (song zhong) in Chinese, which is pronounced exactly like "送终" (song zhong), meaning "to attend a parent's funeral". Giving a clock is literally wishing someone's death!

This superstition is taken very seriously. Even decorative clocks or luxury watches are avoided. If you really want to give something that measures time, opt for a wristwatch (which is said differently) or completely avoid this type of gift.

In China, red is much more than a color: it's a shield against misfortune. It's the color of life, celebration, prosperity, and luck.

During your zodiac year (Ben Ming Nian), which returns every 12 years according to your Chinese sign, it's strongly recommended to wear red (underwear, socks, belt) to ward off bad luck. This year is considered particularly risky, and red acts as protection.

Red is everywhere during celebrations: weddings, Chinese New Year, births... It's the color that drives away demons and attracts good fortune. Even red envelopes (hongbao) containing money are red to bring luck.