Go to hell! Rude: never use it in plates, prices or gifts
Rude: avoid Unlucky / use with care
What does 748 mean in Chinese?
In Mandarin, 748 is read qī sì bā ≈ qù sǐ ba, and it sounds like 去死吧. Go to hell! Rude: never use it in plates, prices or gifts Chinese speakers use numbers like this because most digits sound like everyday words. That is why number meanings shape prices, phone numbers, car plates, wedding dates and even building floors.
Digit-by-digit breakdown
| Digit | 汉字 | Pinyin | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 七 | qī Cantonese: cat1 | 起 qǐ (rise); 齐 qí (together); 妻 qī (wife); 气 qì (energy / anger) | Rising, togetherness and romance (七夕, Qixi, is Chinese Valentine's Day). Mixed in some combos (7456, 748) |
| 4 | 四 | sì Cantonese: sei3 | 死 sǐ (death); 是 shì (yes, in slang) | Sounds like 死 'death'. It is the most avoided digit: buildings skip 4th floors and plates with 4 sell cheaply |
| 8 | 八 | bā Cantonese: baat3 | 发 fā (prosper, get rich); 拜 bài (bye) | The king of lucky numbers, 发 'prosperity'. The Beijing Olympics opened 08/08/08 at 8:08 pm |
How to use 748
- In chat and social media: it's recognised instantly by Chinese speakers, so context is everything.
- In business: keep it away from prices, product codes and phone numbers aimed at Chinese customers.
- As a gift amount: choose even amounts with 6, 8 or 9 (e.g. 88, 168, 888) instead.
Frequently asked questions
What does 748 mean in Chinese?
748 reads as 去死吧 (qī sì bā ≈ qù sǐ ba). Go to hell! Rude: never use it in plates, prices or gifts
Is 748 a lucky number?
No. 748 carries a rude or insulting meaning. Avoid it in gifts, prices and plates.
Can I use 748 in a phone number, price or licence plate?
Use our free Number Decoder to score the full number. Endings matter most, and combinations with 8 (发, prosperity) raise the score while 4 (死) lowers it.
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