Luck Symbols Around the World
A World Tour of Good Luck Charms
Why do we cross our fingers? Why do we knock on wood? Since the dawn of time, humanity has sought to attract good fortune and ward off bad luck.
Every culture has developed its own talismans, amulets, and rituals. Embark on a fascinating journey through the most powerful luck symbols in the world!
🌏 Asia: Harmony & Prosperity
In Asia, luck is intimately linked to financial prosperity, family harmony, and spiritual balance. Symbols are often red and gold, the colors of fortune.
🐱 Maneki-Neko (Japan)
This beckoning cat isn't waving goodbye! It is inviting you in and attracting customers.
- • Left paw = attracts customers
- • Right paw = attracts money
- • Both paws = double luck!
🐉 Dragon (China)
Unlike in the West, the Chinese dragon is benevolent. It symbolizes power, strength, and great good fortune.
Did you know? The Year of the Dragon is considered the luckiest year to have children!
🔴 Why Red? In China, red represents fire and life. During Chinese New Year, red envelopes (hongbao) containing money are given to pass on good luck.
🔗 Coming Soon: Our detailed article on Good Luck Charms of Asia.
🏰 Europe: Nature & Ancient Traditions
The old continent draws its symbols from nature and pagan traditions, often adopted by Christianity. Many of our daily gestures come from here!
Four-Leaf Clover (Ireland)
For every 10,000 clovers, only one has 4 leaves. Each leaf represents: Faith, Hope, Love, and... Luck!
Saint Patrick used the 3-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity. The 4th leaf would be a "divine bonus".
Horseshoe (Western Europe)
Hung above a door, it protects the home. But mind the orientation!
- • Points up = holds the luck in (English tradition)
- • Points down = pours luck onto those entering (Italian tradition)
Ladybug (France, Germany)
Known as "God's little beast" in some cultures. If it lands on you, it brings good luck. Whatever you do, don't brush it off! It is often said to bring good news.
🪵 Why do we knock on wood?
This tradition dates back to the Celts who believed that protective spirits lived in trees. Touching the bark was a way to ask for their protection.
🕌 Middle East: Protection against the Evil Eye
In this region, luck is primarily about protection. The concept of the "Evil Eye" (a jealous gaze that causes misfortune) is central, and many talismans are used to ward it off.
🧿 Nazar Boncuk (Turkey)
This "Blue Eye" is omnipresent in Turkey, Greece, and throughout the Middle East.
The principle? Fighting the gaze with a gaze. The glass eye "absorbs" negative energies sent by jealousy.
🖐️ Hamsa Hand / Hand of Fatima
A symbol shared by Jewish, Muslim, and Christian cultures of the Middle East.
- • Islam: Hand of Fatima (daughter of the Prophet)
- • Judaism: Hand of Miriam (sister of Moses)
- • The 5 fingers represent the 5 pillars of Islam or the 5 books of the Torah
💡 Travel Tip
If your Nazar breaks in Turkey, it's a good sign! It means it has protected you from an Evil Eye attack. You simply need to buy a new one.
🌎 Americas: Spirits & Nature
From the north to the south of the American continent, luck symbols blend Indigenous spirituality with colonial influences.
🕸️ Dreamcatcher (Indigenous Peoples)
Originating from the Ojibwe people, the dreamcatcher filters dreams during sleep.
- • Good dreams slip through the center and slide down the feathers to the sleeper
- • Nightmares get caught in the web and disappear at sunrise
Now popular worldwide, it remains a sacred symbol for Indigenous peoples.
🐰 Rabbit's Foot (USA)
An African-American tradition from the South. To be effective, it must be the left hind foot of a rabbit caught in a cemetery... under a full moon! Today, synthetic versions are preferred. 😅
🪅 Figa (Brazil)
This closed fist with the thumb between the index and middle finger is a symbol of protection and fertility. A Portuguese heritage mixed with Afro-Brazilian traditions.
🌍 Africa: Ancestors & Cosmos
In Africa, luck is linked to the connection with ancestors and harmony with nature. Symbols vary greatly from one region to another.
⚛️ Adinkra Symbols (Ghana)
The Akan of Ghana have been using meaningful graphic symbols for centuries.
Gye Nyame
Supremacy of God
Sankofa
Learn from the past
Nkonsonkonson
Unity, solidarity
Osram ne Nsoromma
Love, harmony
🦁 Scarab (Ancient Egypt) — The beetle rolling its dung ball symbolized the god Khepri rolling the sun across the sky. Wearing a scarab brought rebirth and divine protection.
🔢 Magic Numbers
Some numbers bring good luck... or bad luck! And it varies by culture.
| Number | Lucky 🍀 | Unlucky ⚠️ |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | West (7 days, 7 seas...) | — |
| 8 | China (sounds like "wealth") | — |
| 13 | Italy (lucky!) | France, USA (Friday the 13th) |
| 4 | — | China, Japan, Korea (sounds like "death") |
| 17 | — | Italy (XVII = "VIXI" = "I have lived" = I am dead) |
🏢 Did you know? In China, buildings often skip the 4th, 14th, or 24th floors. In the USA, many hotels don't have a 13th floor!
🤔 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most universal lucky charm? ▼
The horseshoe is probably the most widespread, found in Europe, the Americas, and even Asia. Its "U" shape that "holds" luck is universally understood.
Do lucky charms really work? ▼
Scientifically? No. But psychologically? Yes! Studies show that people who believe in their "lucky object" are more confident, take more calculated risks, and perform better. It's the placebo effect of luck.
Can you mix lucky charms from different cultures? ▼
Absolutely! In our globalized world, many people wear a Turkish Evil Eye while knocking on wood. What matters is how you feel. Luck is personal.
What is the connection to gambling? ▼
Lucky charms were often used during draws or games. By the way, the Roman goddess Fortuna was depicted with a wheel — the ancestor of our Wheel of Fortune! Learn more about the History of Chance →
🎲 No four-leaf clover at hand?
Don't panic! AmStramGram is your digital lucky charm. Let chance decide for you, without superstition, just for fun.
Heads or Tails
💡 Key Takeaways
From Irish clovers to Chinese dragons, from Turkish Nazars to Native American dreamcatchers: every culture has created its own ways to tame uncertainty.
These symbols remind us that humanity has always tried to give meaning to chance, to believe that we can influence our destiny, even just a little.
So the next time you cross your fingers or knock on wood, remember: you are continuing a tradition thousands of years old. Pretty cool, right? 🍀